Francisco J. Mora, Who Unveils Some the Issue Will Also Discuss a Key Topic: the Digital Transformation of of the Challenges He Faces During His Second Term As Rector

xvii Mora Mas Francisco J. year nº 57 septiember 2017 Politècnica deValència Rector oftheUniversitat AITEX create atechnicalunit for the cosmetics sector

AITEX Review INDEX Septiembre 2017 número 57

04 Technological News 08 AITEX creates a dedicated cosmetics technical unit 14 Interview with Fancisco J. Mora Mas, rector of the Valencia Polytechnic University 18 Institutional logic 22 A basic survival kit for the digital environment 24 New regulations (UE) 2016/425 relating to Personal Protection Equipment 26 LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX® - Certification for leather and leather goods at every stage of production 27 AITEX gains recognition as a FIFA testing centre 28 The digital transformation of a company and orientation towards the client and their needs 30 Textile solutions and sports materials that enhance physical activity 34 Research and Development of technical, functional and sustainable materials designed for use in Green Cities 36 Research and Development of pattern-making and garment-making for clothing adapted to special body morphology 38 Research and Development of innovative technical monofilaments for functional artificial turf for sports and residential use 40 Research and Development of functional finishes applied to technical fabrics and garments high in sustainable content 42 Encapsulation systems for applying mosquito repellent to textiles 44 Sound-absorbent designer furniture 46 LIFE PHOTOCITYTEX – Photocatalytic textiles for scrubbing contaminated air 48 The development and validation of detergents with antiperspirant properties 50 European projects 55 Publicly-financed projects 56 News

Editorial We are heading into the last stretch of the year buoyed by hopeful This issue also includes a new section covering AITEX’s activities with signs coming from the economic situation of our sector recently pu- respect to reinforcing its institutional dimension and which are de- blished by CITYC which show inter-annual business growth rates of signed to have maximum impact on our Valencian associates. This 3.8% in textiles and 3.4% in garment-making, growth of nearly 10% initiative grew from the Institute’s response to its origins and creation in exports and a rallying in both employment and plant investment. within the Comunitat Valenciana. We still have a long way to go but these achievements are a direct Another topic we look at in this issue is the new European regulation result of the continuous efforts made by our industry to keep moving UE 2016/425 relating to PPE and which establishes all the require- forward and invest in knowledge, innovation and the adoption of new ments that an article must comply with from design and manufacture management systems, among other factors. to retail sale, to guarantee the user’s health and safety. The report In the last issue of the year we interview the Rector of the Polytechnic highlights the main differences with respect to previous legislation. University of Valencia (PUV), Francisco J. Mora, who unveils some The issue will also discuss a key topic: The digital transformation of of the challenges he faces during his second term as rector. The- a company and orientation towards the client and their needs. What se challenges include promoting open, global education and driving is digital transformation, how can it help a company and how should research projects which are closely tied to innovation and progress it be introduced? We will reveal all the answers here and offer an to place the PUV in a position to compete with the world’s leading interesting insight into the use of digital marketing in general and its education institutions. applications in the textile sector in particular. Mora underlines the close collaboration between the UPV and AI- Our R+D section will summarise the results of the ECOMATEX, IN- TEX with respect to the transfer of technology and innovation, work VESPAT, INNOTURF, FUN2GARMENT and MICOTECH R+D projects lines he considers essential to our country’s future. This includes joint and the Success Stories section will report on joint R+D projects ca- R+D projects, the AITEX Chair and the University Master’s Degree in rried out with Sancal Diseño and SPB Suavizantes and Plastificantes Textile Engineering. Bituminosos, S.L Another article talks about AITEX’s Cosmetic Technical Unit which the Institute has opened and which provides a complete new line of activities for us including technical consultancy on the development of new formulae, the characterisation of cosmetic products, consultancy services for packaging, legislation and regulations and environmental-impact studies. This new facility has enabled the Institute to broaden its resources to improve the competitiveness of the sector and increase business opportunities.

AITEX, Instituto Tecnológico Textil, es una asociación privada sin ánimo de lucro, que nace en 1985 por iniciativa de los empresarios textiles y de la Genera- litat Valenciana a través del IVACE, Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial (antes IMPIVA), y forma parte de la red de institutos REDIT.

Edita: AITEX, Instituto Tecnológico Textil Plaza Emilio Sala, 1 E-03801 Alcoy • Tel. 96 554 22 00 • Fax 96 554 34 94 • [email protected] • www.aitex.es Diseño y maquetación: weaddyou, S.L. Depósito Legal: V-2170-2001 • ISSN: 2173-1012 Memoria Anual de AITEX La responsabilidad por las opiniones emitidas en los artículos publicados corresponden exclusivamente a sus autores. accesible desde Se autoriza la publicación de los artículos de esta Revista indicando su procedencia. www.aitex.es _ technology news

There follows a selection of some of the innovations and advances with applications in the textile industry, compiled from a range of scientific and technical sources (articles in the scientific press, patents, conference publications, etc.) which may prove of use to manufacturers in the context of their processes of detection of opportunities and innovation

Experimental study on basalt textile reinforced concrete under uniaxial tensile loading

This study focuses on 24 experimental cases to investigate the influences of textile layers, prestress levels and short steel fibers on the tensile behavior of basalt textile reinforced concrete (TRC). The tensile behavior of basalt TRC is considerably influenced by the number of textile layers. The TRC specimens with three to five textile layers exhibit pronounced stra- Constru-textiles in-hardening behavior and consequently, prominent enhancement of tensile behavior and optimized cracking patterns. For the prestressed TRC specimens, evident increases in first- crack stress are observed with increasing prestress levels. Furthermore, the TRC specimens with an appropriate prestress level exhibit increasingly favorable tensile response with the rising volume fraction of short steel fibers.

Author: Yunxing Du, , Mengmeng Zhang, Fen Zhou, Deju Zhu Reference: Construction and Building Materials, Volume 138, 1 May 2017, Pages 88–100 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.01.083

All-fabric interconnection and one-stop production process for electronic textile sensors

This study developed and tested an all-fabric interconnection and one-stop production process for electronic textiles that are combined with electronic technologies on textiles. This is a one-stop production method for electronic textiles consisting of multilayer structured fa- Smart and functional brics for implementation of electronic functions in which precise circuit patterns are formed, textiles conductive materials or conductive circuits on each fabric layer are electrically connected and individual fabric layers are fixed to the base layer through embroidery, while fabric layers are layered one by one using a commercial computer numeric control embroidery machine. The electrically connected parts are not likely to be broken by external forces, all parts to be connected to external devices are formed on one piece of fabric and workability and productivity are improved so that manufacturing costs can be reduced and the textiles can be mass produced.

Author: Jung-Sim Roh Reference: Volume: 87 issue: 12, page(s): 1445-1456, July 1, 2017 doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0040517516654108

Macro-structured carbon clusters for developing waterproof, breathable conductive cotton fabric Unique macro-structured carbon clusters are used to develop cost effective conductive cotton fabric. Nanoscale carbon particles are stabilized into macro-structured carbon black/polymer composite with the help of an aqueous solution of natural rubber latex, polyvinyl alcohol and other auxiliary additives. The ‘knife-over-roll’ technique is used to apply structured carbon black composite on the plain woven cotton fabric. The lowest resistivity level achieved by this process is less than 60 ± 5.4 Spinning and fibers Ohm/cm2, which is very much promising for developing cost-effective, waterproof, and breathable conductive fabric. Waterproofness up to 95 cm water head column and breathability up to 4400 g/m2/24 h is achieved simultaneously. The two-dimensional topography reveals that single as well as aggregates of 2–9 carbon black particles are bounded by the blended matrix to form the macro-structured carbon composite. The lowest impedance of 0.5 Ohm is observed to remain stable up to the frequency of 105 Hz of AC supply voltage.

Author: K. Sarkara, D. Dasb, T.K. Chakia, S. Chattopadhyaya Reference: Carbon Volume 116, May 2017, Pages 1–14 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2017.01.065

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The Performance of Geotextile Materials Used for Filtration and Separation in Diffe- rent Structures as an Important Part of Geotextiles Requirements

Currently, a water discharge coefficient as an important feature of geotextile materials that affects their filtration capacity in a frozen condition is not included in the geotextiles material Geotextiles, agro- specifications. The necessary requirements and corresponding mathematical relations for textiles and sports choosing the appropriate geotextile materials are presented in this study. surfaces The effective diameter of the geotextile material pores (cells) was obtained by sieving through it the fine-grained quartz sand of pre-determined grain-size composition. Never- theless, particles produced due to the ballast abrasion and bridging (colmating) of the geotextile material have a plate-like shape. Consequently, the curve of their granulometric composition differs from that of the quartz sand.

The criteria for the required mathematically calculated filtration flow diameter have been established to ensure that geotextile materials are not colmated during their designed life span.

Author: V.I. Shtykov, L.S. Blazhko, A.B. Ponomarev, Reference: Procedia Engineering, Volume 189, 2017, Pages 247–251, May 2017

The effect of the transfer abilities of single layers on the heat and mass transport through multilayered outerwear clothing for cold protection

This paper deals with performance properties related to human thermo-physiological comfort of three-layer textile systems used for the production of outerwear for cold pro- Clothing and sport tection. The transfer of heat and fluids through the compound single layers (woven and non-woven) is investigated and compared to the heat and mass transfer of the systems for textiles clothing. Six characteristics are measured: thermal resistance, air permeability, water vapor resistance, relative water vapor permeability, the accumulative one-way transport index and overall moisture management capacity. The results obtained showed that the fluid transfer abilities of the single layers applied in clothing for cold protection strongly affect the fluid transfer ability of the system of layers, while the heat transfer of the system is dominated by the heat transfer ability of the thermo-insulating layer.

Author: Radostina A Angelova, Priscilla Reiners, Elena Georgieva, Yordan Kyosev Reference: Textile Research Journal, Article first published online: March 10, 2017 doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0040517517697642

Aroma-Loaded Microcapsules with Antibacterial Activity for Eco-Friendly Textile Application: Synthesis, Characterization, Release, and Green Grafting

Fragrant and antimicrobial properties were conferred to cotton fabrics following microencapsulation using green materials. Limonene and vanillin microcapsules were produced by complex coacervation using chitosan/gum Arabic as shell materials and tannic acid as hardening agent. The effect of two emulsifiers; Span 85 and polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), on the encapsulation efficiency (EE%), microcapsule’s size and morphology, and Technical finishings cumulative release profiles was studied. The mean diameter of the produced microcapsules ranged between 10.4 and 39.0 μm, whereas EE% was found to be between 90.4% and 100%. The use of Span 85 resulted in mononuclear morphology while PGPR gave rise to polynuclear structures, regardless of the core material (vanillin or limonene). The obtained microcapsules demonstrated a sustained release pattern. Standard antibacterial assays conducted on both microcapsules alone and impregnated onto the fabrics indicated a sustained antibacterial activity.

Author: Asma Sharkawy, I. P. Fernandes, M. F. Barreiro, Alirio E. Rodrigues, and Tamer Shoeib Reference: ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2017, 56 (19), pp 5516–5526, April 25, 2017 doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.7b00741

5 _ technology news

Non-leaching and durable antibacterial textiles finished with reactive zwitterionic sulfobetaine An antibacterial finishing protocol using a reactive sulfobetaine was reported to fabrica- te safe and durable antibacterial textiles. The specifically designed sulfobetaine contains highly reactive triazine group acting as an anchor to fix the antibacterial betaine group on textiles via covalent bond formation. After the finishing, the textiles were endowed durable Medical textiles, hygie- antibacterial activities of 98.0% against gram-negative Escherichia coli and 95.2% against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus even after they were laundered for 30 times. The sa- ne and cosmetics fety evaluation showed that the reactive sulfobetaine had no skin irritation and cytotoxicity. These results indicate that the developed antibacterial finishing is safe and durable on textiles.

Author: Liang He, Chang Gao, Sha Li, Cordelia T.W. Chung, John H. Xin Reference: Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Volume 46, 25 February 2017, Pages 373–378 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2016.11.006

Green Biocomposites: A Prospective Utilization in Automobile Industry

Now scientists have developed biopolymer derived from corn, soy etc. which is used to reinforce the natural fibers and developed a fully biodegradable composite material. The application of the natural fiber composites not only found in the building and constructions Automotive and sectors but also in the automotive and aircrafts structures sectors. In this chapter we are discussing about the Green Biocomposites and their utilization in the automobile fields. transport textiles The chapter also highlighted a general class of the various available natural fibers and their application in the automotive sectors. This chapter also provides an insight of the safety measures such as crashworthiness of the vehicles. Also a review of the current research in the field of automotive industry is presented and some conclusions for the future vehicle design using composites are suggested

Author: Deepak Verma , Sanjay Sharma Reference: Chapter Green Biocomposites, Part of the series Green Energy and Technology pp 167-191, February 2017

Explosive blast damage resistance of three-dimensional textile composites

The resistance of 3D textile composites when subjected to shock wave loading caused by an explosive blast is experimentally investigated. Non-crimp 3D orthogonal textile carbon- epoxy composites with different volume of through-thickness z-binder yarns are subjected Protective to explosive blasts of increasing intensity, and the resultant damage is compared to a 2D textiles and woven carbon-epoxy laminate. The 3D textiles are highly effective at resisting delamination crack growth, and display superior damage resistance compared to the 2D laminate. The workwear delamination resistance of the 3D textile composites at high blast impulse increases with their z-binder yarn content, and this correlates with higher modes I and II interlaminar fractu- re toughness properties. Under high blast impulse the 3D textile composites remain intact, which is also evidence of higher explosive damage resistance.

Author: A. Kerbera, b, A. Garganoa, K. Pingkarawata, A.P. Mouritza, Reference: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Volume 100, September 2017, Pages 170–182 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.05.005

Motion Detection in an Intelligent Textile Mattress Cover

In this paper we present a new solution for continuous monitoring of body position and motion over a mattress cover, using intelligent textiles. The main focus of this work is the analysis of the data generated by this intelligent mattress, through the identification of body movements along the bed. The output of this work is to be used as an overall solution in the home and healthcare market, where monitoring activities is an important need. Home Textiles Author: Nelson Pimenta, Paulo Chaves, Luís Fernandes, Diana Freitas Reference: International Symposium on Ambient Intelligence (ISAmI) 2017: Ambient Intelli- gence– Software and Applications – 8th International Symposium on Ambient Intelligence, 2017 pp 47-54

6 WE sensations

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7 __cosmetic technical unit

AITEX creates a dedicated technical centre for the cosmetics industry

Cosmetic technical unit of AITEX

AITEX now offers the cosmetics industry a full service including characterisation laboratories, quality control and product certification within international standards, in addition to applied research projects, innovation and the development of products with an added- value factor. The Institute also provides specialist technical training.

The Institute boasts the most up-to-date infrastructure, laboratory facilities and experimental research plant available to the cosmetics industry, in addition to our highly-qualified technical staff, know-how and financial capacity to set up the new Tech- nical Cosmetics Unit.

With the opening of the new facility AITEX has consolidated and enhanced our capacity and resources which we can provide to companies to improve their competitiveness and create new business opportunities.

The initiative is also backed up by the Institute’s ample experience gained over its long history; a history stretching back over 30 years offering our services to the textile industry. The diversity of our services covers the entire chain of production in the textile industry and every area of the textile sales market.

A growing sector

Cosmetics is an extremely attractive sector and the Comunitat Valenciana is the third most important Spanish region in terms of number of manufacturers after Catalonia and Madrid, according to the most recent INE data, and activity is increasing. In 2016 Spanish consumption of cosmetics and perfume grew by 3.25 % compared to the previous year and reached total sales of 6,656 million euros according to The National Association of Perfumery and Cosmetics (STANPA). Spanish exports have - Consultancy on new formula development increased by 6.4% over 2015 to 3,536 million euros. - New functional ingredients - Encapsulation of active compounds Cosmetics is closely associated with wellbeing, personal care - New cosmetic developments and beauty and products are applied to every part of the body. • Characterisation of cosmetic products Constant demand by ever more demanding consumers with • Cosmetic packaging: more specific requirements is converting the sector into a key - Development of smart active packaging engine of Spanish industry. - Packaging characterisation • Consultancy on legislation and regulations Thus, the availability of research infrastructure and facilities in the • Environmental impact studies sector is a key tool to enabling manufacturers to broaden their capacity for innovation. With this goal in mind, AITEX offers the following services to the cosmetics industry:

8 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

Consultancy on new formula expectations: a decisive factor when a consumer is choosing between one product and another. development Microencapsulation can be performed using a range of techni- New functional ingredients ques, all of which are available at AITEX. The choice between which is the most appropriate will depend on the characteristics Consumers are demanding ever-more innovative and efficient of the compound being encapsulated, the membrane material products suited to specific needs. This means that new formulae which will contain it, their physical states and the final application must be developed and adapted constantly. In Spain, every year and medium which they will be incorporated into: around 25 % of existing products are reformulated and at least 10 % of these products incorporate new ingredients and enhan- • Co-extrusion – gelification: consists of pressing, modelling ced-performance molecules, known as functional ingredients, and solidifying both the active compound and the encapsulating revealing the dynamism and competitiveness of the sector. medium which will contain it.

The mission of these molecules is to act at the root of the pro- • Liposomes: spherical vessels which envelop the compound. blem and provide the necessary treatment to keep skin young, Typically fats and aqueous media which, once applied to the skin healthy and beautiful. Examples of these compounds include bond with it and slowly release the compound as the skin needs it. peptides, polymers and growth factors. • Spray drying: a process in which a fluid is transformed into Microencapsulation of active compounds a solid through the creation of tiny droplets in a dry, usually warm environment. While the process itself is relatively simple, it is not One strategy for ensuring that these functional compounds act always the most ideal for heat-sensitive compounds. effectively is to encapsulate them in tiny particles called microcapsules. The technique is designed to protect and stabilise the compound and prevent its breakdown by holding and releasing it in a controlled manner so that it may release its beneficial properties at the right time and location. The process is extremely attractive as it optimises the dose to ensure that the results meet

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Image 1: microcapsules created using co-extrusion/gelification, Image 2: microcapsules created using spray drying, seen under an seen under an optical microscope electron microscope.

•Fluid Bed: this process coats the active compound in a affect the duration of the treatment. Excessively-long treatment solid state with the coating medium to complete the mi- times before a visible result is obtained may result in the con- croencapsulation process. sumer abandoning the treatment altogether.

• Hydrogels: natural or synthetic 3-dimensional net- In order to solve this problem, a range of products has been works with an extraordinary capacity to absorb fluids developed in recent years which combine the benefits of cos- without dissolving. metics with materials designed to remain in close contact with the skin: this synergy led to the development of an innovative • Mesoporous structures: can be used as a support range of materials called cosmetotextiles. AITEX has extensive medium for the active compound, helping dispersion and experience in the research, development and characterisation diffusion between their pores. of cosmetotextiles; products which offer an added-value factor over conventional textiles and which provide new properties to • Electrospinning: of all the technologies available at allow the consumer to undertake a beauty treatment without AITEX, electrospinning deserves a special mention. Using affecting their daily routines. the process, lightweight nanometric fibres are spun to create bespoke materials with a specific, large surface The microencapsulation of the active compound is one of the area per gram weight obtained thanks to the extremely most common approaches to functionalising a textile substra- high porosity of the fibre. These structural characteristics te, and the microcapsules are then anchored to the textile sur- make electrospun materials excellent carriers for a slow- face. The method of aAnchoring the microcapsules depends release compound and protect the compound to prevent on several factors, including fabric type, the external medium it degrading. of the microcapsule and the release process used for the active compound. In the latter, release is normally achieved by Once the active compound has been successfully microen- friction with the skin to deposit the compound, where it is ab- capsulated, it needs to be released so it can treat the target sorbed into the skin to achieve the desired result. area and obtain the desired results. There are several ways this can be achieved: In order to guarantee the commercial success of a cosme- totextile, it must meet a market demand. This requires an in- • By friction depth understanding of the market forces at work and of the • Choosing the correct pH type of consumer and their preferences needs and opinions, • Choosing the correct temperature all of which is achieved by carrying out consumer surveys. De- • Water solubility velopment and launch of a product is guided by a consumer • Diffusion panel to ensure the product meets a real need, as consumers’ • Direct contact decisions are driven by cultural, social, personal and psycho- • Degrading the encapsulation medium logical factors.

New cosmetic developments: cosmotextiles

The absorption of functional compounds through the skin may be a slow and complicated process and one which clearly affects the cosmetic’s efficiency and efficacy, which will in turn

10 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

The characterisation of cosmetic Stability testing products These are designed to understand the product’s stability from a chemical, physical and microbiological point of view using heat-induced Technologies available accelerated ageing approaches. The parameters we study are intrinsic stability, shelf life and the duration of the cosmetic compound. At AITEX, we have a full range of facilities and equipment to study all the factors involved in optimising the properties of Biocompatibility studies cosmetic products. These are divided into two categories: “in vitro” and “in vivo”. The A study of the Z potential former includes an analysis of cytotoxicity to obtain reliable data on a product’s toxicology and the degree of irritation its use may incur. AITEX develops different measures and procedures desig- Other tests include the HET-CAM (Hen’s Egg Choriallantoic Membrane ned to understand and optimise the parameters involved in Test), which measures the degree of irritation caused to mucus mem- determining the effectiveness of hair-care and skin products. branes. Shampoos, conditioners and hair dyes require an in-depth understanding of the interactions at play between the different in- Clinical testing gredients and the hair, including the rinse times and coverage of the product on the hair. When carrying out “in vivo” tests, AITEX works in collaboration with All of these factors are directly related to the stability of the partner dermatological centres, who undertake Patch Tests and Open product, which in turn is crucial to its function. In these cases, Tests, both designed to measure the irritation caused by the use AITEX performs a study of the Z potential which provides detai- of the product on the skin. Studies are also performed to evaluate led information on the behaviour and stability of the product to moisturising performance, firming effect, anti-wrinkle performance, enable its properties to be optimised and to make a decision tanning and SPF among others. User panels are widely used in these as to the best formulation. In the case of skin care and dental tests and the panels are made up by defining the target consumer hygiene products, the Institute performs studies of the distri- group, selecting participants, defining study protocols, selecting bution and size of particles in emulsions, suspensions and dry study techniques and surveying the opinions and reactions of the powder. participants in the Focus Group.

Microbiological studies Cosmetic packaging Microbiological studies are undertaken in compliance with the following standards: EP (European Pharmacopoeia), USP (Uni- In addition to the manufacturing and quality-control studies ted States Pharmacopeia) and ISO (International Organisation for for cosmetics AITEX has all the facilities and equipment ne- Standardisation) and consist of an assay of the microorganisms cessary for analysing the viability of the packaging used to present (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, mould and yeasts) and the contain, protect, handle and present a cosmetic product for detection of pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, sale. The goal is to guarantee the product’s conservation Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Burkholderia and its ease of use and last but not least that it attracts the cepacia) consumer’s attention. It is important to note that plastic has replaced glass to a large extent as it is lighter and more re- We also perform sterility tests, surface control and environmental sistant, but it is not completely inert and can interact with the tests in rooms and spaces, as well as Challenge Tests. content in a variety of ways to alter the function of the cosmetic inside. Physical and chemical tests Active packaging These analyse parameters such as pH, viscosity and moisture content. It also possible to measure the protection factor offered by sun creams Active packaging is an excellent alternative and is designed to (SPF) and the presence of certain active compounds such as solar fulfil three basic requirements: safety, organoleptic properties filters, vitamins, etc., preservatives, heavy metals, toxins (parabens, and quality of the cosmetic. The packaging and its function phthalates, allergens, nitrosamines, etc. and impurities. can be summarised in four fundamental aspects:

Sensory testing •Protect the contents from external factors: the packaging must act as a barrier to prevent unwanted reactions which Together with consumer panel testing, these studies provide reliable accelerate the deterioration of the product. An example quantitative and qualitative data on the likelihood of consumers ac- would be the effects of light, moisture, extreme temperature cepting the product and their expectations of it. A descriptive analysis and oxygen (to prevent oxidation). evaluating the appearance, aroma and texture of the product is combined with a series of discriminatory tests (triangular test and difference/ control tests) to detect difference.

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• Prevent the proliferation of microorganisms, particu- Regulatory consultancy larly important in prevention of contamination. The packaging must incorporate antimicrobial agents. We provide consultancy to companies on drawing up a safety dossier and on the Declaration of Responsibility. This docu- • Attract the consumer’s attention. This involves care- mentation contains all the information relating to safety bulle- ful packaging design to convince the consumer to choose the tins, notifications and product registration and raw materials, product over the competition. safety evaluations (hazards, exposure and risk), descriptions of normal reasonable use foreseen for the product, safety and • Combine ergonomics, safety and good design. The microbiological quality reports, etc. to guarantee safety and ful- packaging must not only be attractively designed but meet filment of the product of all existing legislation. certain conditions of functionality, including being comfortable and safe to use. Environmental impact analysis Packaging characterisation

The correct choice of packaging does not only consider its New technological developments have led to important advan- interaction with the environment but also its interaction with ces in cosmetics manufacturing, ranging from new formulae the contents. AITEX provides all the facilities required to cha- to the study and optimisation of packaging for commercial racterise the behaviour of the packaging material with respect launches. However, these horizons must be broadened to in- to the migration of toxins and allergens from the packaging clude an environmental impact study on the effects that these to the contents. Analysis includes global migration studies to advances have. Contamination levels from the chemicals re- provide data on the total quantity of molecules which migrate leased into the environment by packaging is increasing and from the packaging to the contents, and analysing the mi- represents a huge challenge. To meet this challenge, AITEX gration of individual specific compounds which may be toxic, develops different procedures and analytical approaches allergenic or irritating to the skin. to evaluate the environmental impact of a cosmetic product throughout its life.

Life-cycle analysis Consultancy on legislation and regulations This is a tool designed to evaluate and measure a product’s potential environmental impact at each stage of its existence: extraction, production, distribution, use and end of life (which The Institute provides consultancy services in the matter of cu- last stage includes a study of reuse, recycling, valorisation and rrent legislation that must be complied with before a cosmetic the elimination and disposal of the waste. The studies are ca- product can go on sale: rried out under the criteria that energy and raw material resources are finite and manufacturing processes must be develo- • Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 by the European Parlia- ped sustainably. ment and of the Council of the 30th November 2009 on cosmetic products, which establishes a manual for “Best Practices in Calculating and reducing the Environmental Footprint. the Manufacture of Cosmetics”. Carbon footprint

• Spanish Royal Decree 1599/1997 of the 17th October A product’s carbon footprint is “the total quantity of green- on cosmetic products, to determine the technical and sanitary house gases emitted directly or indirectly during a manu- conditions, health control, obligatory requirements for manufacturing cycle”. facturing facilities, labelling and publicity, inspection, infrac- tions and fines. The cosmetics industry generates greenhouse gases at every stage; not only during manufacturing but transport • Regulation 655/2013 of 10th July 2013 which esta- and the waste-management procedures undertaken once blishes common criteria to which the claims relating to cosme- the product has reached the end of its life. tic products must comply. Reducing the industry’s carbon footprint includes the fo- • Other legislation relating to healthcare products, bio- llowing common strategies: cides, packaging, textile labelling for cosmetotextiles, foods- tuff for nutricosmetics and Regulation (EC) nº 1907/2006, also • Reducing packaging material known as REACH. • Improving packaging manufacturing processes

• Optimising logistics and distribution

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• Use of recycled materials For this type of study, AITEX has all the necessary facilities to study both anaerobic biodegradation (using a process of • Use of bioplastics and biodegradable materials burying the waste in a microbially-active soil) and aerobic biodegradability which allows the volume of CO2 given off to be • Carbon footprint, cosmetics packaging and eco labe- monitored. These tests are performed in compliance with the lling following standards:

• ISO 14855: Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled com- Calculating and reducing the carbon footprint. Water posting conditions - Method by analysis of evolved carbon footprint dioxide - Part 1: General method (ISO 14855-1:2012).

The water footprint is the total volume of fresh water used • ASTM D 5358: standard Practice for Sampling with a during the cosmetics manufacturing cycle. The industry Dipper or Pond Sampler. consumes vast quantities of water, given that the fundamental base of a cosmetic formulation is water. In addition to this, • UNE-EN 14046: Packaging - Evaluation of the ul- the manufacturing process also consumes large quantities timate aerobic biodegradability and disintegration of pac- sourced from cleaning processes, which is classed as waste kaging materials under controlled composting conditions - water. Method by analysis of released carbon dioxide.

Reducing the cosmetic industry’s water consumption is a AITEX provides a full suite of services of enormous interest vital strategy and to this end, AITEX undertakes the following to the cosmetics industry to help drive this important sector procedures: which has excellent short-term growth prospects and which is expected to form another component in the strengthening of • Redesigning products to reduce water consumption our economy. during use

• Optimising cleaning procedures

• Water treatment and reuse strategies

• Active dialogue with our clients (appropriate product use)

Water analysis. Process and waste water

The analysis of processing water carried out by AITEX consists of measuring the physical and chemical parameters and per- forming a microbiological analysis. The resulting information allows us to reveal whether the results are within the limits set down in existing legislation.

In the case of waste water, AITEX has ample experience in monitoring this type of waste. Physical and chemical tests are performed on samples taken at different stages and sources: at certain points, global, contradictory, etc. and consultancy on the presentation of Model 301 (waste water production), among others.

To achieve this goal, AITEX collaborates with Hydraulic Admi- nistration E.C.060/1 and our facilities include a homologated laboratory for waste water analysis, in compliance with Order MAM/985/2006 issued by the Public Health Body (EPSAR).

Packaging biodegradability

13 _interview

Francisco J. Mora Mas

Rector de la Universitat Politècnica de València

Francisco J. Mora graduated from the Catalonia Polytechnic University with a degree in Telecommunications Engineering. In 1997 he presented his doctoral thesis which he developed at the Experimental Physics Division at the European Particle Physics Laboratory (CERN). In 2003 he was taken on as a professor by the Valencia Polytechnic University in the Electronics Technology Department. He developed his research activity in the Institute of Molecular Imaging Instrumentation (a joint centre involving UPV-CSIC-CIEMAT). In 2013 he was named Rector of the PUV, a post to which he was recently re-elected

In 2013 you were chosen to head the academic institution longer-term financial model which will enable us to plan our with broad backing from the community. During your te- activities better. nure the university has gained national recognition and is among the world’s finest universities in technical and The PUV must be in a position to compete the world’s best scientific fields, according to various rankings. How was centres and provide a response to the new requirements and this achieved and what were your reasons for accepting needs which arise if it is to earn its living in the future. this responsibility? Another of the great challenges facing the PUV is to When I presented my candidature for Rector in 2013, I had create a new educational model based on transversal already spent the last 15 years involved in university mana- learning and skills development to prepare students to gement, first as deputy director of the Superior School of Te- be entrepreneurs and give them the skills of leadership, lecommunications Engineering (1998) and since 2000, as de- languages and communication, among others. Accor- puty director of different government teams. All of this gave me ding to the latest data available from the INE, unemplo- ample, accredited experience in several fields. But I would not yment between the ages of 20 and 24 in Spain is around have been able to move a step forward without the backing of 40%, and 44% in the Comunitat Valenciana. How can the an excellent team of professionals, a group of people who were University contribute to improving the employment pros- convinced that the PUV should not remain paralysed by the pects of the young? crisis that reigned at the time. Nobody would argue that the higher the educational level of a By the time I took up the post of rector, this international recog- student, the better his or her prospects are for finding higher- nition as one of the world’s leading universities had already quality, better-paid employment. Employers are now placing been achieved but they were challenging times, characterised more value than ever not only on a candidate’s qualifications, by financial and budgetary restraints. The most difficult thing in but on their skills: their capacity for problem solving, their abi- all this time has been to maintain the level we have achieved lity to be creative and to develop their ideas and their ability to despite huge cuts and competition from institutions with envia- formulate complex judgements. ble resources and the unconditional support of their countries. The PUV has been working for many years on educating our To be able to continue this magnificent performance under the- graduates with these skills and is a pioneer in evaluating them se difficult conditions and in some cases do even better, has and incorporating them into the CV of each student to enable been nothing short of heroic and was only made possible by an employer to identify where the applicant stands out intellec- the commitment, hard work and selfless dedication of the enti- tually. re university community. As a compliment to all of this, in 2013 the University established In May 2017, you began your second tenure as rector. In the Global Enterprise Plan, an initiative inspired by MIT (Massa- broad terms what will be the most important steps to be chusetts Institute of Technology), consisting of equipping each taken in the second phase? school and university with spaces where teamwork and project creation are possible. These Venture Spaces are environments During my second term we have set ourselves the target of where the student can put into practice the theoretical skills developing an intelligent strategy to face up to the inevitable they learn in the classroom – leadership, honesty, a feeling of changes which will implicate several lines of action, among commitment, innovation…–. which will be promoting open, adaptable global university education, favouring relevant research with a commitment to Thus an idea can become a project worthy of competing in innovation and progress, moving towards a university without an international competition or a solution to a technological or barriers, developing our own staff policies and achieving a social challenge. It may also evolve into a start-up. Our plan is

14 aitexaitex september enero 20102017_

unique in Spain. I have not seen a similar deployment of deve- Employers need trained professionals for the challen- lopment resources in any other Spanish university. ges posed by the highly-competitive environment they are working in: factors including the non-stop technolo- All of this work is beginning to bear fruit. A few months ago gical changes, new business models and internationa- Spanish employers chose, for the second consecutive year, lisation. How are education plans adapting to this new, graduates from the PUV as the most highly valued for example dynamic and highly-demanding business context? in IT and ICT. According to the Everis ranking, PUV graduates in these branches are the best in Spain in most skills which are Every official degree offered by the PUV is constantly conside- recognised as key skills for work development. red, revised and evaluated at least once a year. An academic commission made up of students, faculty and administrators Experts in the textile sector point out that as a result along with the head of each degree analyse the strengths and of the average age of employees in the sector (46), a weaknesses of the study plan and write a management report generational replacement is beginning, which has been with specific recommendations. The results are published in created by a growth in the industry’s employment de- the public domain and are available for anyone to consult. In mand. What is your opinion of the growth in demand for addition, external peer-group evaluations are carried out. qualified employees in the textile industry? What can the University offer in this respect? In the case of the University Master in Textile Engineering, during the last two courses 14 improvements have been appro- It is great news for the PUV and society in general. We have ved to enhance the international appeal of the degree, alter always firmly believed in the enormous future potential and po- admission criteria, increase practical experience in the labo- sitive outlook for the industry and we are aware that, at this ratory, raise teaching hours to a full time course, etc. That is point in time, the textile sector requires trained employees with how we guarantee the quality of our teaching at the UPV and the capacity to drive both companies and related research its adaptation to the employment context. structures from within. An example in this respect is the Fourth Industrial Revo- The PUV prepares textile professionals through its Master’s lution, or Industry 4.0, which requires specific skills to Degree in Textile Engineering who are equipped with all the make the most of the new technologies which are chan- skills to enable the development of specialised products using ging the way the sector works. How is the University high-tech materials and processes, help diversify the field of handling this new area of knowledge? applications for textiles into many other sectors and compete in the new global marketplace. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is the next logical step in technological evolution. We now have incredible advances

15 _interview

in fields as diverse as telecommunications, medicine, cloud computing and industrial production. What we must now do is to combine these advances to create technology systems which create a fusion between the digital and physical worlds.

Our portfolio now includes degrees and study courses which are working constantly to integrate new technologies into every conceivable field of knowledge. The Degrees in Biote- chnology and Food Science and Technology are clear examples but we are also developing completely new degrees in this field. An example of this is the Degree in Interactive Technologies which we offered for the first time this year and which will prepare students to create interactive systems in the fields of healthcare, tourism and entertainments, from the internet of things to biometrics via Virtual Reality.

Apart from specific study courses the PUV is working on innovation and the use of cutting-edge tools including transversal general skills, independent of the area of interest of each degree but of vital importance for any profession. To ensure that each and every one of our graduates, whether in the Fine Arts or IT knows how to use the most up-to-date technology, the most appropriate resources and how to adapt Imagen 1. Francisco J. Mora, Rector de la UPV y Vicente Blanes, Di- them to their particular circumstance. rector de AITEX.

What is the future for new educational technologies and All of this in turn opens up enormous possibilities for on- what will educational models provide that current mo- going training at work: virtual classrooms, digital platforms, dels don’t? How will the private sector be able to make learning objectives, etc. in our case several national and in- the most of technology to train the workforce? ternational companies use our technical support to set up their bespoke training programmes which are closely adap- The combination of technology and training is fantastic and ted to their needs as they allow knowledge to be imparted offers marvellous opportunities. One of the doors which is both on-line and in person. Innovation in training is the best opening is MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), free on- way to guarantee a company’s competitive future in the 21st line courses, accessible by internet which anyone can enrol century. on and which have practically no upper limit of students. The PUV has made a major investment in the initiative and it can be said with some certainty that we are leaders in MOOC production in Europe and a reference for this educational In collaboration with AITEX, the University established model. the Master’s Degree in Textile Engineering in 2014/2015. According to data published by the University, the Mas- We are fully aware that nothing substitutes the real-life expe- ter attracted enrolment of 44% in 2014/2015, which in- rience of walking into a university campus for the first time as creased to 70% 2015/2016. What is your interpretation of a student: attending classes, sharing experiences with your this fact? classmates, etc. but as an ongoing educational opportunity which will be available throughout your life, MOOC is an Obviously a positive interpretation. It indicates that the Master amazing option, and one which favours self-learning. is becoming consolidated and is an attractive option for graduates. It allows the student to specialise in a single year and Technology is also making useful inroads into traditional that is something that students value tremendously. The fact learning via flipped-classroom systems, which are having that it is semi-classroom based means it can be comfortably such an impact in our university. The lecture is taken home in fitted in to a busy work schedule and I think that all in all, it is an video format and class time is taken up with practical work, attractive option both for recent graduates and professionals teamwork and collaborative dynamic activities. This allows already with long careers in the industry. us to turn 100% of class time into practice and ensure everyone is up to speed on the theory. Not a minute is wasted At the PUV we know there is a huge variety of post graduate and as the students are more motivated, performance im- courses available and it is difficult to achieve 100% desirable proves. students, and more so with recently-created courses. But the numbers seem to indicate that the first year results were good, the students were happy and the trend is positive. From our

16 aitex september 2017_

point of view we will continue to strive for 100% student satis- Es fundamental para el futuro faction del país promover las líneas de Last December the PUV and AITEX created the AITEX Chair whose goal is to develop activities which contri- investigación aplicada y estrechar bute to positioning the textile industry in a more prominent place both within the academic world and society la colaboración universidad- in general. What do you think of bodies like the Institute empresa, tal y como se está becoming involved in this type of initiative? haciendo con AITEX.

In the UPV we have increased the knowledge transfer from 17% In my view it’s positive. I think that collaboration between of the national total to 28%, but the increase has been achie- organisations and such important institutions within the Va- ved through searching for resources outside of Spain. That is lencian manufacturing network is advantageous for everyone one way of achieving it, but we do not want to, nor should we, and particularly for society at large as the activities we under- leave out the local business sector. It is vital for the future of the take represent a common benefit. country to promote lines of applied research and strengthen academic-private sector collaboration, such as we are under- In this case, working towards positioning the textile sector taking with AITEX. means trying to improve competitiveness in the private sector and improve the socio-economic situation of the region as a As I have said before, to be a better university we need better whole and advantages for the bodies involved: the Institute companies and organisations. But the good thing about this achieves cutting-edge research and the PUV improved trai- situation is that we can help achieve the objective from within ning for our students, and these are just a few of the advan- PUV. This should not be taken as a criticism of the private sec- tages. tor but as a way we are reaching out: we want to help you improve your competitiveness, work with us. AITEX is undoubtedly doing much for industry and the region and it is vital that it becomes more involved in these initiatives as they ultimately put the spotlight on the future potential of the textile sector and provide society with a positive viewpoint What is your opinion on the role played by AITEX as a of the industry. leading Technology Centre in the textile industry and in particular in the field of professional training within the The University and AITEX also maintain close ties in the sector? matter of R+D, in the joint execution of various projects and lines of applied research. In your opinion, what value As I said before, AITEX does commendable work within the so- does this type of collaboration represent for business cio-economic fabric of the region. The collaboration carried out competitiveness? with the PUV, particularly at the Alcoy Campus, is something of which we are proud. Apart from the university training, the It is vital for the future of the country to promote lines of applied short course programmes are of special interest to its mem- research and strengthen ties between the academic world and bers. Any type of specialised training which improves the skills the private sector, just as we are doing with AITEX. of the workforce must be welcome.

The situation in Spain is very worrying. The innovation ecosystem is to all intents and purposes non-existent and R+D investment is dropping continuously. It’s alarming. To turn this around obviously investment needs to be increased enor- mously, but also the productive fabric of the country needs to be improved dramatically, if we are to be in a position to absorb the specialised knowledge created by the university.

Collaboration between the PUV and AITEX is an exception rather than the rule. The relationship is bearing fruit and I think it is vital to continue this line of work. At the University we are convinced of it: the transfer of knowledge and innovation creates a more competitive private sector and that in turn leads to more future transfer. It is a virtuous circle we must carry on and promote, despite the difficulties that exist.

17 _institutional logic

Actions initiated by AITEX’s Institutional Department

With the goal of strengthening AITEX’s institutional dimension, a series of initiatives designed to have an impact on our Valencian The creation of a digital textile members has been planned which will be directed by a new De- directory/platform partment. The actions fall within the framework of institutional logic and complemented by the market logics of other departments within the Institute. The initiative came about as AITEX’s response The goal is to improve collaboration between associate com- to its origins in the Valencian Community and the Institute has set panies to drive B2B business opportunities between manufac- aside a budget for the successful completion of the initiatives. turers/consultants or between a group of companies which, led by AITEX, aims to carry out a particular project. Innovation consultancy via It will also provide information on public funding, training acti- business seminars vities and a directory (approved by AITEX) of consultants and manufacturers of machinery, fibre and chemicals, among other products. The goal is to make know-how more available to the private sector within transversal topics which are of interest to a particular company or sector, to facilitate the introduction of actions Talent hunting and implementations which will improve competitiveness. To this end, AITEX works closely with manufacturers and specialist consulting companies in each area of knowledge. When a company decides to allow AITEX to act as a facilitator in the staff selection and talent-hunting process, the Institute The seminars are an introduction and launch pad for an ap- will research the available talent either via inviting specialist proach divided into the following phases: speakers to the seminars or through human resource consultancy agreements.

In-company In-company training and Seminar diagnosis implementation Other actions

The diagnostic and training phases are jointly funded via a co- The Institute will work on other initiatives which will contribute payment agreement between AITEX and the company. AITEX to strengthening its institutional dimension and its commitment will partner the company and guide it through the process, ac- to its members. ting as a driver and, as far as possible, rating the consultancies by topic. The topics handled during the first year are shown in Promoting the textile industry among young students the following table: The goal of this initiative is to reinforce ties between educational institutions to encourage young students to study cour-

Industria 4.0 (I) ses related to the textile industry. AITEX will give seminars Noviembre La estrategia y las aplicaciones de gestión como base de la and workshops in schools and institutes, organise visits to transformación digital. our offices, facilities and manufacturers and run competitions designed to increase the visibility of textile studies. Costes y Productividad Enero Reduciendo costes y maximizando beneficios. Demonstrations and testing of high-performance textile Ecommerce y Marketing Digital machinery Febrero Como aprovechar los entornos digitales para hacer crecer tu negocio. AITEX will establish collaboration agreements with different Liderazgo y Dirección de personas machinery manufacturers to enable them to demonstrate their Marzo Enfocando el futuro a través de las personas. plant and equipment at AITEX facilities to enable member companies to test the machinery and create samples. Industria 4.0 (II) Mayo Cloud, Ciberseguridad y Big Data

Innovación Junio La innovación, clave para la competitividad empresarial

Eficiencia Energética Julio Soluciones para el ahor ro y mejora de la calidad del suministro eléctrico.

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19 _institutional logic

FIRST BUSINESS SEMINAR: INDUSTRY 4.0 - MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND APPLICATION AS A BASIS FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Digitalisation is an ideal opportunity to improve the competitiveness of the textile industry in an increasingly globalised marketplace. AITEX has organised the first in a series of business seminars entitled “Industry 4.0 - Management strategy and application as a basis for digital transformation”, which will be held on Monday 13 November at the AITEX Headquarters in Alcoy.

These seminars are the launch pad for an approach which includes a diagnostic phase of the company and concludes with an in-company training and implementation programme. The diagnostic and training phase is funded by a co-payment agreement AITEX and the company and AITEX will steer the entire process, Diego Saez (Co-founder of Mesbook, which took part in the 3rd guiding the client all the way. edition of Programa Lanzadera, promoted by Juan Roig), will talk on “Information systems for making real-time decisions”, and The seminar is the first step in the process and the first presenta- how they enable improved productivity and quality, while reducing tion will be given by Isabel Agui lera, President of Google Iberia costs. between 2006-2008, and from 2008-2009 President of General Electric in Spain and Portugal. She is currently a consultant on The seminar will close with a talk by Luís Lombardero, CEO of strategy, innovation and operations and is an independent advisor the Instituto de Talento y Empresa Digital - ITED, entitled "How to to the boards of Indra, Banco Mare Nostrum (BMN), Orizon and transform a traditional company into a digital one", which will ex- Egasa and a member of the advisory boards to Aegón España, plain the importance of using an approach and a route map and Oracle Iberia, Deusto Business School and Manpower Group. how to plan the digital transformation process in a textile com- Isabel will talk on the importance of digitalisation in the SME and pany. its role in improving competitiveness. Luís will explain in detail the characteristics of diagnosis for Indus- The next talk is entitled “The impact of technology on business try 4.0 which he uses with companies who are interested in digita- models. The time to redefine your strategy”, presented by Sergio lisation and which will have been previously agreed and approved Gordillo, Co-director of IMPROVEN CONSULTING, S.L. He will by AITEX, who will cover 50% of the cost. cover how to identify new opportunities to improve strategies, processes and your organisation within the new digital environment.

A DEMONSTRATION AND TRIAL IN AITEX’S FACILITIES OF THE ITEMA’S MOST OUTS- TANDING LOOM

EWithin the framework of AITEX’s action lines to carry out demonstrations of high-performance textile machinery, the Insti- tute has signed an agreement with the ITEMA Group, through their agent Bastos y Cia, S.A., to install the R9500 rapier loom at the our facilities.

The presentation will take place on the 24th October in the AITEX Conference Hall and will include a visit to the loom. The agreement will allow companies three months in which - Staubli Dobby 3020: 20 frames to run trials and produce samples. - The ability to cross the weave at the console - Touch-screen control The R9500 is characterised by its versatility and advanced - New FPA 2.0 guideless weft transfer system technology and has the widest range of uses of any loom - Motorised 8-position weft cutter made by ITEMA. ITEMA is the result of a merger by Somet, Vamatex and Sul- Its most important technical features include: zer, all of whom are well known weaving machine manufacturers. - Direct drive motor via HI-Drive with Brushless motor

20 21 _analysis

A basic survival kit for the digital environment

Begoña de Arancibia: Consultant in Digital Marketing, Social Media Manager and Member of Faculty at the ESIC Business School

For those who, in 2017, insist on maintaining a sceptic’s view of contact) and who above all have no Digital Marketing Plan will of the relevance of digital marketing in business in general and leave their business firmly anchored in the twentieth century and the textile industry in particular, maybe a few statistics will help in danger of extinction. change their minds more than words. How to make a good Digital Here are a few interesting facts to start with: in 2016, e-commerce in Spain increased its turnover by 23.3% over the pre- Marketing Plan vious year, almost 22 million euros according to a report by the CES (the Social and Economic Commission). Predictions for The first thing to do is build from a solid foundation, and in 2017 show growth in sales of more than 10% again according online terms that means having a good website. If your websi- to the report “e-commerce Evolution and Forecasts 2017”. te dates from prior to 2010 a good proportion of your budget will have to be spent on its renovation. Why? Because it probably uses Flash technology (which is completely outdated, unresponsive technology) and which probably doesn’t support Turning figures into conclusions mobile-friendly formats which may not reflect today’s importance of social networks.

How can we translate these figures? One obvious interpretation So, the first objective is to get a webpage with SEO (Search En- is that online sales are rising dramatically at home but there is a gine Optimisation), good data architecture and usability, which second, more interesting outlook for the medium and long term. is compatible with mobiles and tablets and dynamic, visual The CES report reveals that a third of Spanish consumers now and socially integrated. It’s a waste of time spending energy on shop by internet and spend 1400 euros per person annually. social networks if the link you use is to an outdated webpage: What’s more, Spain is now fourth in the European rankings for when a user lands on your home page, they’ll soon be leaving online shopping behind the UK, Germany and France. in droves.

The textile sector is – together with food and tourism – among The next step is to ensure your brand presence on social net- the favourite online purchases for the Spanish consumer. Accor- works and for that you need to design a Social Media Plan. The ding to a study by CNMCData, in 2016 the textile industry invoi- first thing to do is forget the myth that “the more coverage the ced 331 million euros: 5.6% of the total spent on e-commerce. better”, in reality our focus should be on just the opposite. It’s not just about being seen, and in fact, all-powerful Facebook, And that is the precisely the conclusion that must be drawn: with 22 million users in Spain is not the ideal social network for Spanish consumers are buying more and more online and futu- a B2B operation: be clear on that. To be really effective, Linke- re generations -Millennials and Y- will not even consider another dIn is the natural digital environment for B2B. way of purchasing, other than electronically. The first thing to understand is where your target audience The Digital Economy, Environment 2.0, Internet, Digital whatever is, and the answer to that will tell you on which networks you name you prefer is not just a question of the present, just another should be present. in fact, it is better to close down a social sales channel but lagging behind the real world. What we are network if, after a few years the response has been practically seeing in reality is a transitional phase in which online channels zero. Maybe site management is at fault but it could also be an will end up as the main consumer option. indication that we are putting all our effort into a place where our clients are not present. This is more so in the case of Spain which is one of the leading nations not only in e-commerce rankings but in everything to do Another dreadful, yet sadly widespread practice is to copy and with technology and communication. This is illustrated by the paste from one social network to another. The mistake here is fact that Spain is fifth in global mobile phone use. that if you say exactly the same thing on Google+ and Face- book, there is no incentive for your followers to follow both. Why So, for those of you who are still digital sceptics, maybe you’ll be would they bother if you say the same thing everywhere? To convinced by the “perfect storm” metaphor; growth in internet avoid this, you would need to implement a Content Plan which purchasing, added to the Spanish character of being able to times publication on social networks and adapts the tone and successfully adopt technology and the proximity of the younger content to the user who is present on each. Not everything generations as the main target public would suggest that today, that your company generates is valid for every social network. those who do not have a solid internet presence (Google, as To put it in black and white; it would not be logical to expect the main search engine or SERP in Spain), communicate with hundreds of Facebook likes for the news that your company their consumers (principally through social networks as a point is about to merge with another, because Facebook is an emo-

22 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

tional site and the news probably doesn’t excite many people, although it is obviously of great importance to the future of the company.

NOTHING’S FREE ON INTERNET

Apart from all of this, let’s dispel the myth that everything is free on internet. Not much in this life is free and the digital environment is certainly not on that list. Whoever is in charge of managing your company’s social networks, blogs and webpa- ges must not hold a lowly-paid junior post. Your brand’s online reputation is at stake and the best way to avoid a crisis on social media is to leave your networks in the hands of a Marketing Let’s talk about another of the classic errors made by websi- and Communications expert, and if they happen to possess te managers: using keywords to gain position our site on the common sense, well then, so much the better! results page. These words are often not those that would be used by surfers. An illustration would be that of an estate agent This is especially pressing in the textile sector, whose online who prefers to be referred to as building consultant, which may searches – the reception area of any company – is (in terms of well be the correct term in their sector but no one outside the volume) a crucial factor in standing out from the competition. It industry would say it. To avoid this, the best thing is to set up is vital that we appear on the first page of results. A well-known a focus group with your clients, using brief questionnaires to phrase in the digital marketing world is “if you want to bury a find out how they look for our type of product. The resulting body, take it to the second page of search results”. keywords would then have to figure in any posts or blogs, webpage descriptions, Twitter hashtags, etc. (among many other Getting a bit deeper into this culture of ours of “free stuff”, SEO factors), as well as when bidding for Google AdWords. you will also have to consider digital publicity in your annual budget. The days when a company could open a Facebook FanPage and get organic visibility simply by publishing things The coming use of beacon technology will also change the way have long gone, in fact nowadays barely half of your fans will we sell in the textile sector. Business intelligence provided by see your posts on their walls if you are not paying for publicity. Big Data will be the next giant leap forward in the digital world. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram’s algorithms are designed to give greater visibility to advertisers who are footing the bill for users to be online free of charge. A warning to surfers

To sum up, a textile company’s Digital Marketing, whether B2C Trends affecting the textile sector or B2B is not simply another option we have available, nor is it a mere opportunity. Globalisation is a reality and is here to stay and giants such as Google and Amazon respect no borders. Consumer habits are moving towards not visiting a store, not Another aspect to bear in mind is “showrooming” or “webroo- having to move from their homes and Spain is not the only ming”: this is the widespread practice of surfers doing a pre- potential marketplace for a company’s goods and services. purchase search before buying a product. Obviously there are The digital environment must be understood as a tool but this certain sectors where this is still not too common, but they are tool needs to be used correctly. That correct use boils down to few and far between and the textile sector is not one of them. the implementation of a Digital Marketing Plan backed up by a Even if you are offering an exclusive B2B technological pro- solid budget and companies who understand this fact will be duct, there will always be a head of purchasing, a technology those who will have finally entered the 21st century. director or financial director – in short – a decision-maker, who will make an initial foray into internet and our corporate digital networks must be ready to answer their questions and provide as much communication as is necessary. This will be the doorway to a future medium and long-term relationship which can subsequently be strengthened by your company’s experience and handling of the relationship.

What can we do to make sure we are among the chosen few? Invest in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), in other words in the organic positioning of our website on search engines, but also in SEM (Search Engine Marketing), which will put you on the first results page.

23 _innovation

New EU regulations 2016/425 relating to Personal Protection Equipment

AITEX’s Personal Protection Equipment laboratory

On the 19th March 2016, EU Regulation 2016/425 relating to PPEs was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, replacing EEC Directive 89/686/EEC. The Regulation establishes the obligatory requirements for PPEs from design and manufacture through to point of sale to guarantee the wearer’s health and safety. The adaptation of various types of PPEs to the new Regula- - Connective equipment not worn or carried by the person and tions requires an effort on behalf of every organisation involved which are designed to connect such equipment to an external in the certification and approval process including the com- device or structure or a safe anchor point which has not been petent authorities, various economic agencies, notified bodies designed to be fixed permanently and which requires no faste- and the wearers themselves. ning motion before use. - Inclusion of PPEs for private use against heat, such as oven EU Regulation 2016/425 came about for two reasons. Firstly, or barbecue gloves EC Directive 89/686/EEC has been in existence for over 20 years and contains certain incoherencies and omissions and In addition, it is made clear that any PPE sold online is subject secondly to align standards more closely with the New Legis- to the same Regulation. lative Framework (NLF) with respect to safety as covered by EC Decision Nº768 in conjunction with Regulations Nº764 and Categorising risk: 765. Although already used for every PPE, categorisation is esta- As it has been conceived as a Regulation, its transposition to blished as follows: other legislation by EU member countries is unnecessary and it becomes law on the same date for every country and with the • PPEs protecting against minimum risk: Category I same text, avoiding the complications of different interpreta- • PPEs protecting against medium risk: Category II tions and tones depending on the translation. • PPEs protecting against high risk: Category III

THE PRINCIPAL VARIATIONS Included within Category III are PPEs to protect against: BETWEEN EU REGULATION - Toxic biological agents 2016/425 AND EEC DIRECTIVE - Drowning 89/686/EEC - Cutting by hand-operated chainsaws - High-pressure jets - Bullet or knife wounds - Harmful levels of noise Economic agents: These risks are not covered by the Directive in this category The Regulation establishes the obligations to be met by va- and there was no possibility of modification. The delegation of rious economic agents: powers to the Commission is established in the Regulation in -Manufacturers the case of modifications being deemed necessary. -Authorised representatives -Importers Categorisation is dependent on the risk the PPE protects aga- -Distributors inst, regardless of PPE type. -Notifying authorities -Notified bodies Conformity evaluation procedures

Field of application: The manufacturer is responsible for evaluating the PPE with respect to essential basic requirements and the design must The present regulation applies to all PPEs, a PPE is defined as: consider the foreseen use as well as foreseeable use. - Equipment designed and manufactured to be worn or carried by a person to protect themselves against one or various Conformity evaluation procedures which must be followed for health and safety hazards. each risk category are as follows: - Interchangeable components of the equipment which are essential to its correct protective function.

24 aitexaitex september enero 20102017_

a) Category I; Module A: internal production controls (under Annexe IV of the Regulation). 21/04/2016 Entrada en vigor del Reglamento The internal production control is the conformity evaluation procedure carried out by the manufacturer to ensure that the 21/10/2016 Solicitud following obligations are met, among others: reacreditación ON Solo se pondrán productos en el -Elaborating technical documentation mercado con certificado CE -Manufacturing the article in compliance with the specifications of said documentation, to ensure that the manufacturing pro- Reglamento 21/04/2018 aplicable Directiva cess guarantees that every PPE is compliance with same. derogada -Ensure that every PPE is accompanied by the EC Mark and the EU Declaration of Conformity. CE y UE Período de 21/04/2019 Válidos ambos transición certificados de productos que b) Category II; Module B: EU Examination of Type, fo- estén en la cadena llowed by Module C: Conformity with Type based on the in- comercializaciónde Solo se pondrán ternal production control (Annexes V and VI of the Regulation productos en el mercado con respectively). certificado UE Límite de validez 21/04/2023 certificados CE de The EU Examination of Type is the is the conformity evaluation Tipo procedure carried out by a notified body to examine the technical design of a PPE to verify and certify that the design meets all applicable requirements of the Regulation.

The EU Examination of Type evaluates the appropriateness of ii) Module D: conformity of type based on production the PPE’s technical design by examining the technical docu- QA process (under Annexe VIII of the Regulation). These mo- mentation prepared by the manufacturer which guarantees dules are aligned with Articles 11 A and 11 B respectively of the and declares, with sole responsibility, that the PPE in question Directive. conforms to the type described in the EU Examination of Type Certificate. As an exception to the above, with respect to PPEs manufactured as a single unit to fit a specific individual and classified Additionally, examinations pertinent to a representative produc- in compliance with Category III, the procedure for Category II tion sample are carried out for the complete PPE production may be followed. run. The notified body may if necessary request further examples to complete the test programme. The presentation of the EU Declaration of Conformity is obligatory for each PPE or the inclusion of a webpage address in the Validity of the new certificate issued, or renewed certificate, will information booklet where the Declaration can be found. not exceed 5 years. Required documentation Conformity of Type based on the internal production control is Within the technical documentation prepared by the manu- an important point, and one which ensures that the manufac- facturer, an important element which must be included is the turer is in compliance with the following requirements, among evaluation of risks against which the PPE protects the wearer. others: Additionally, in order to comply with modules A and C, the QA -That all necessary measures have been taken to ensure that measures taken by the manufacturer during PPE manufacture the manufacturing process, and its supervision, guarantee must be specified to guarantee that it has been produced in conformity of the PPE with the type described in the EU Exami- compliance with the appropriate design specifications, which nation of Type Certificate and the requirements applicable by must be concise and coherent to meet the objective. the present Regulation. -Ensure that every PPE is accompanied by the EC Mark and Market vigilance: the EU Declaration of Conformity. Market vigilance will be more exhaustive if aligned with Regu- c) Category III; Module B: EU Examination of Type, fo- lation 765/2008. llowed by either of the following options: i) Module C2: conformity of type based on internal pro- EU Regulation 2016/425 by the European Parliament and Com- duction control and a supervised random product sample (un- mission, dated 9th March 2016 relating to PPEs, replacing EEC der Annexe VII of the Regulation). Directive 89/686/CEE (DO L 81 dated 31.3.2016, pp. 51-98) IMAGE

25 _innovation

LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX® - Certification for leather and leather goods at every stage of production

AITEX’s Chemical Laboratory

For the last 25 years, the OEKO-TEX® Association has been offering consumers and manufacturers solutions to guarantee the absence of substances which are harmful to health.

Just a few months ago the LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO- TEX®, consisting of a system of globally-recognised tests and certifications covering leather and leather goods throughout the production process was launched. It includes crust, finis- • Product class III: articles not in direct contact with the hed leather, leather clothing, leather gloves, belts, bags and all skin (lined leather coats and jackets, bags, belts, etc.) types of accessories. • Product class IV: decorative articles and furniture The certificate forms part of the portfolio of products and servi- (leather seat covers, etc.) ces provided by the OEKO-TEX® Association. The certificate compliments the existing STANDARD 100 by The most frequently-found substances in leather goods, and OEKO-TEX®. If a garment such as a pair of jeans, is made of a those which are of the greatest cause for concern, include mix of materials including leather then each component will be arylamine, chrome (VI), formaldehyde, pentachlorophenol and covered by its relevant Standard. cadmium all of which are analysed and monitored within the LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®. It is important to understand all the advantages offered by the LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®, which include: Just like STANDARD 100 by OEKOTEX®, this new certification has a validity of one year which can be extended if the appli- • The verification by an independent organisation of the cant requires, and it makes a distinction between four classes absence of harmful substances in certified materials and articles. of products. The greater the degree of contact with the skin • The identification and elimination of harmful substances coupled with the degree of skin sensitivity, the stricter the limits • A modular certification system which avoids dupli- which must be complied with. cate testing if the material is already certified and approved. • Inclusion in the OEKO-TEX® sys- • Product class I: articles for babies and children to 3 tem, a world leader for years in the sector. years of age (leather clothing, leather gloves, etc.) • Inclusion in the many different RSLs (Restricted Substances Lists) of distribution chains, manufacturers, etc. • Product class II: articles in direct contact with the skin • The articles are tested in market controls and via au- (leather trousers, jackets, underwear, etc.) diting by independent auditors to check Quality Assurance. • Lastly, the certificate is a marketing tool. It is a document and clearly-labelled brand which attests to the manufacturer’s commitment to its corporate responsibility to health and safety and the environment throughout the distribution chain.

In order that the consumer can clearly identify a certified product, a new label has been designed which must bear an identification number and the name of one of the OEKO-TEX® member institutes. Any other information is considered to be improper use.

Bildnachweis: © Rebecca Nelson/Getty Images Bildnachweis: © Jane Anastasia Studio/Getty Images Bildnachweis: © Maxrale/Getty Images Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung 26Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge

Bildnachweis: © Zero Creatives/Getty Images Bildnachweis: © Lane Oatey/Blue Jean Images/Getty Images Bildnachweis: © Thomas Gloning (thethomsn)/Getty Images Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung Lizenz für zeitlich & räumlich uneingeschränkte Nutzung für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge für Print, Web, redaktionelle Beiträge

16 Detaillierte Angaben zur Verwendung des lizenzierten Bildmaterials entnehmen Sie bitte den jeweiligen Lizenzvereinbarungen. aitex september 2017_

AITEX is recognised as an accredited FIFA centre

Laboratorio de Geotextiles y Superficies Deportivas de AITEX

AITEX technology centre has been recognised by FIFA as an accredited test certification Institute for artificial turf used on football pitches.

AITEX is one of the only fourteen laboratories worldwide which have been recognised by the International Football Association (FIFA) to test properties quality of artificial turf for use on sports surfaces were competitions will be held. The aim of the tests performed is to certify that the properties of a sports surface are ideal for football.

uality rogramme for ootall Turf The artificial turf offered more potential to promote football. Its uality rogramme for ootall Turf strength and performance under any weather conditions and Football Turf Field Test Report (FIFA QUALITY PRO) in frequent use makes it the ideal replacement for natural turf. 4 – Detailed Test Results However, the quality of the different third-generation systems 4 – Detailed Test Results erie – all and player to surfae interations available varies greatly. erie – all and player to surfae interations o is the field to play y means of the folloing parameters this uestion an e ansered ery ell Fuente: FIFA. o is the field to play y means of the folloing parameters this uestion an e ansered ery ell urthermore some alues allo onlusions regarding maintenane in order to eep the field in top shape urthermore some alues allo onlusions regarding maintenane in order to eep the field in top shape For installation on football pitches, only synthetic surfaces which have passed the tests carried out in a laboratory, as well Test in football pitches arameter omments hints arameter omments hints as extensive field trials, under the strict criteria stipulated by the arameter omments hints arameter omments hints 1- Vertical 4- Shock FIFA Quality Programme are admissible. Artificial sports surfa- The interaction between the ball and the1- Vertical surface: 4- Shock ball rebound absorption ho asoreny is an indiation ball rebound absorption ho asoreny is an indiation of ho hard the field feels to the ces must meet all the QA requirements relevant to football with of ho hard the field feels to the player alue that is too lo player alue that is too lo indiates a hard field and ause respect to performance, safety, durability and quality. indiates a hard field and ause The higher the alue the damage to player’s joints too soft The higher the alue the damage to player’s joints too soft higher the all ill reound and the surfae is energy sapping higher the all ill reound and the surfae is energy sapping Vertical ball rebound. The all should not oune resulting in inreases in fatigue The all should not oune resulting in inreases in fatigue too high or too lo and oeruse injuries In order to certify an artificial sports surface for football, FIFA too high or too lo and oeruse injuries all surfae interation layer surfae interation issues its FIFA QUALITY seal to surfaces designed for insta- all surfae interation layer surfae interation 2- Ball roll 5- Deformation llation in public areas and amateur football pitches, while FIFA 2- Ball roll 5- Deformation uality rogramme for ootall Turf uality rogramme for ootall Turf QUALITY PRO guarantees optimum performance for profes- uality rogramme for ootall Turf The higher the alue the (FIFA QUALITY surfae PRO) that deforms too sional sports surfaces. Football TurfThe Fieldhigher the Testalue the Report surfae that deforms too Football Turf Field Test Report (FIFA QUALITYfaster the PRO)all ill run oer muh ill result in oerstreth Ball roll. Football Turf Field Test Report (FIFA QUALITYfaster the allPRO) ill run oer muh ill result in oerstreth the surfae The all should ing of ligaments partiularly the surfae The all should ing of ligaments partiularly not e too fast or too slo the around the anle 4 – Detailed Testnot e Results too fast or too slo the around the anle An artificial surface system is only issued with one of the FIFA 4 – Detailed Test Results all surfae interation layer surfae interation 4 – Detailed Test Results erie – all and allplayer surfae to surfaeinteration interations layer surfae interation erie – all and player to surfae interations 3- Rotational quality seals, and catalogued as a synthetic turf appropriate for erie – all and player to surfae interations 3- Rotational resistance This simulates the player’s The interaction between the player ando the resistanceis the fieldsports to play y sur meansThis simulates- of the folloing the player’s parameters this uestion an e ansered ery ell football, when it has successfully passed all the requirements o is the field to play y means of the folloing parameters this uestion an e anseredaility ery to ell alter diretion too o is the field to play y means of the folloing parametersurthermore this uestion some an e alues ansered alloaility eryonlusions to ell alter diretion regarding toomaintenane in order to eep the field in top shape urthermore some alues allo onlusions regarding maintenane in order to eep the fieldhigh in top a shapealue and stress an face urthermore some alues allo onlusions regarding maintenane in order to eep the fieldhigh in top a shapealue and stress an established in the test manual. our aross nee ligaments our aross nee ligaments too lo and the player ill too lo and the player ill not e ale to grip the sur not e ale to grip the sur arameter faeomments and may sliphints ausing arameter omments hints These testsarameter are of particularomments relevance hints as theyarameter simulate faetheomments and may slip hints ausing The rigorous testing procedure, which includes laboratory tes- ligament damage arameter omments hints arameter ligamentomments damage hints interaction between the player and the surface,1- Vertical to ascertainlayer surfae interation 4- Shock ting and field trials guarantees that the synthetic turf complies 1- Vertical 4- Shock layer surfae interation 1- Vertical 4- Shockball rebound absorption ho asoreny is an indiation whether theball surface rebound is appropriate and safe forabsorption the player.ho asoreny is an indiation with all requirements relating to performance, safety, durability ball rebound absorption ho asoreny is an indiation of ho hard the field feels to the of ho hard the field feels to the of ho hard the field feels to the player alue that is too lo player alue that is too lo and quality. The two testing stages focus on the following as- player alue that is too lo indiates a hard field and ause indiates a hard field and ause Theindiates higher a thehard aluefield andthe ause damage to player’s joints too soft The higher the alue the damage to player’s joints too soft pects: The higher the alue the higherdamage the to all player’s ill reound joints too soft and the surfae is energy sapping higher the all ill reound and the surfae is energy sapping higher the all ill reound Theand all the shouldsurfae not is energy oune sapping resulting in inreases in fatigue The all should not oune resulting in inreases in fatigue The all should not oune tooresulting high or intoo i nreaseslo in fatigue and oeruse injuries too high or too lo and oeruse injuries Shock absorption. too high or too lo alland surfaeoeruse interation injuries layer surfae interation - The interaction between the player and the sports all surfae interation layer surfae interation all surfae interation layer surfae interation 2- Ball roll 5- Deformation surface 2- Ball roll 5- Deformation 2- Ball roll 5- Deformation - The interaction between the ball and the sports surface The higher the alue the surfae that deforms too The higher the alue the faster surfae the all that ill deformsrun oer too muh ill result in oerstreth The higher the alue the surfae that deforms too faster the all ill run oer themuh surfae ill result The allin oerstreth should ing of ligaments partiularly - Surface regularity of playing surface faster the all ill run oer muh ill result in oerstreth the surfae The all should noting e of too ligaments fast or too partiularlyslo the around the anle the surfae The all should ing of ligaments partiularly Vertical deformation. not e too fast or too slo the around the anle - Product identification tests not e too fast or too slo allthe aroundsurfae interationthe anle layer surfae interation all surfae interation layer surfae interation Manual 2015 REPORT – No. ate - Weather resistance all surfae interation Manual3- Rotational 2015 layer surfae REPORT interation – No. ate 3- Rotational resistance 3- Rotational This simulates the player’s resistance This simulates the player’s aility to alter diretion too - Seam strength resistance This simulates the player’s aility to alter diretion too high a alue and stress an aility to alter diretion too high a alue and stress an our aross nee ligaments - Durability high a alue and stress an our aross nee ligaments too lo and the player ill our aross nee ligaments too lo and the player ill not e ale to grip the sur too lo and the player ill not e ale to grip the sur fae and may slip ausing not e ale to grip the sur Rotational resistance. fae and may slip ausing ligament damage fae and may slip ausing ligament damage ligament damage layer surfae interation layer surfae interation layer surfae interation https://football-technology.fifa.com/es/

Manual 2015 REPORT – No. ate Manual 2015 REPORT – No. ate Manual 2015 REPORT – No. ate _analysis

The digital transformation of a company and orientation towards the client and their needs

Jorge Lucio Sánchez Galán. Director of Operations and co-founder of Metodología i•3

What is digital transformation?

When we are talking of Smart Digital Transformation we are referring to a company’s reorganisation via digital technology to improve the way it or any organisation operates.

In other words, it consists of using digital technology to achieve greater customer satisfaction and the enhancement and maxi- misation of the resources of the organisation in question. The client therefore forms part of the digital transformation and this requires that an organisation or company designs new business models based on Customer Digital Centric models, which place the client and their needs at the centre of the company’s digital strategy. Why has the digital transformation appeared? different sectors who understand perfectly how to commu- Internet, as Metodología i•3 sees it, is a revolutionary com- nicate with the digital client, companies are being forced to munication system. Companies must learn to communicate change their modus operandi, and that is when the need to with their digital clients or they will become cut off from the undergo a Smart Digital Transformation arises. marketplace and unable to continue their business profitably. As new players appear in the various business models and

Figura 1. Metodología para la transformación digital.

28 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

Ecosistema y Estrategia Digital Digital transformation is based on a se- Adquisición, Desarrollo de ries of key factors conversión de Red Red Comercial/ Gestión Comercial/Clientes Clientes y 1.- The identification of how best to adapt the business del y Consumidores Consumidores model within the Digital Ecosystem: if Digital Transforma- Dato de tion is not oriented towards a business result such as in- Negocio Sistemas de creased revenue, efficiency, employability or productivity Sistemas de Negocio Personalización then it will simply become another cost with little return. Negocio 2.- Criteria: if we do not fully understand certain digital techniques and disciplines we will be unable to take de- Fabricación cisions during our Digital Transformation project. The risk Fabricación Inteligencia personalizada here is that we carry out the Digital Transformation but lea- y Transito de y Transito ve the criteria of our digital business in the hands of others. Producción 3.- Digital Transformation: this implies rethinking every Industria 4.0 process, system, the organisation itself and data mana- Sistemas de Producción gement, which in turn implies a substantial change in our company’s business model. Tecnología industria 4.0 4.- Time: for any company, dedicating time to the Digital Transformation process is a real problem as training is Figure 2: a model of how to achieve a CDC (Customer Digital Centric required before we can express criteria on an extremely model) (Digital Generation). wide range of subjects, couple with the length of time that rethinking a business model involves. Smart Digital Transformation must be applied from a manufacturing site with all its suppliers and distributors right 5.- Conclusion: the criteria needed, the time invested and through to the final relationship with the consumer and clients, the changes implied in the business model within the Digi- and must pay close attention to aspects such as the need to tal Ecosystem are dependent on success factors which are delegate processes to the client, gain knowledge to permit explained during the seminars and workshops organised improved efficiency, design production lines which eliminate by AITEX on the one hand, and the projects carried out by activities of no value to the client and increase productivity Metodología i•3 on the other. These have been carefully towards customised products, and much much more. designed to focus on what is absolutely necessary and optimise timelines so that the project is efficient and above All of this requires investment and Digital Transformation and all, profitable for the company or organisation in question in particular Industry 4.0 are subject to creating digitalisation models, while displaying common sense in the process Digital Transformation as a disruptive How digital transformation could help technology companies and employees to be more competitive? Digital Transformation is one more disruptive influence in the ocean of disruptions that is the new reality of the 21st century. When a business model is adapted to the Digital Ecosys- Smart Digital Transformation involves the adaptation of a bu- tem, two differentiating aspects appear; the need to orienta- siness to achieve greater satisfaction from the digital client in te processes, systems, organisation and data management a cost-effective manner for the company. Organisations must towards the client and consumers and design a differential become disruptive and present a digital ecosystem which mo- value proposal within the management chain (with distri- dernises aspects of the business, by orienting management butors, wholesalers, retailers and end users). This creates more towards the digital client. This means that every process two effects: on the one hand, better competitiveness as the must be digitalised including its relationship to other areas of company becomes unique for its clients and on the other, it the business, and data management and handling must be guarantees that the processes of support and business are seen as a competitive advantage (Data and analysis). An or- handled by the employees. The employees gain a greater ganisation which possesses a digital culture and is motivated understanding of the company and, as they train up on di- for digital success can guarantee employability, productivity gital discipline and technology, help improve the company’s and ultimately a client-based focus. We are talking here about productivity and competitiveness creating a new business model oriented towards people and customising the goods and services we offer our clients and consumers.

29 _research

Textile solutions and sports materials to enhance physical activity AITEX’s Nanotechnology and Technical Fibre Research Group The number of people who take part in amateur sports in Spain and Europe as a whole is growing at a breakneck pace due in part to increased life expectancy and spending power and in part to the public’s growing concern for a healthy lifestyle coupled to the popularity of our professional athletes. The development of materials specially designed for sporting activity of all types is one of the most important research lines in clothing and footwear, and the final use of these articles is very important for improved levels of comfort and performance lutions which guarantee improved levels of protection and safety Objective and comfort, maximise performance and reduce injuries. This is achieved through the use of latest-generation materials, processes and technologies, but the solutions must be technologically and commercially viable as well as including a high added-value Modern society is increasingly interested in sports because of factor, to make them a more attractive proposition than other a growing concern for the need to live a healthier lifestyle which commercially-available products and articles. This enables the is creating a sports culture from a very early age in our schools, manufacturer to maintain their position in the sporting goods gyms and companies specialising in health and wellbeing. The sector. elderly are now encouraged to get out and walk on a daily basis and take part in activities adapted for them, and our sports cen- The need tres have greatly improved their facilities and services. The consumer, in this case professional and amateur athletes, is now much more likely to purchase and use technologically-advanced performance-enhancing products with greater functionality EThe resurgence in public interest in sport in recent years is than ever before. undeniable. According to data published by the Sports Coun- cil (from a survey of peoples’ sports habits conducted in2013), From a textile point of view, the principal objective in a sports 70% of the Spanish population responded as “high” or “quite context is to look for more competitive and innovative sports so- high” to a question about their interest in sport and 42% prac-

30 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

tice at least one sport. Additionally, of these more than half •The incorporation of sensors to improve posture and perfor- (57%) practice sport three or more times per week. There is mance. ample scientific evidence which corroborates the idea that physical activity helps prevent and treat a range of conditions •The incorporation of active compounds to the textile to natu- while offering numerous benefits for health in general such as rally enhance performance. reducing back pain, preventing obesity, combating depres- sion and anxiety as well as the more obvious strengthening •The creation of solutions to prevent injuries during long-dis- of muscles, etc. tance sports through the slow release of active compounds. Results •The integration of sensors to monitor the athlete’s strength.

This is the background to the SPORT@FUTURE project, “Re- Developments search into New Textile Solutions and Sports Footwear to Enhan- ce the Safety, Protection, Comfort, Performance and Wellbeing The sports and leisure sector is growing more demanding of the Athlete of the FUTURE”, an R+D project conducted by a and is always on the lookout for more technical articles and consortium of 7 companies in the sector and 3 leading Spanish clothing. An example of this is the fact that some of the deve- research organisations. lopments incorporated into these articles are based on studying nature (biomimetics), which has helped to develop new The consortium is multidisciplinary in nature and includes designs to enhance the functionality of fibres. By applying the companies with complimentary specialities within the fields of characteristics of natural fibres to synthetics achieves better sports clothing and footwear covering the entire range of scien- functionality and enhanced aesthetics; for example natural tific skills and know-how to research high-performance tech- silk can be imitated by combining ultra-fine fibre with a lobular nological products and cutting-edge functional solutions. The cross-section and special weaving techniques, or by giving aim of the project is for these leading companies to join forces polyester a similar feel to wool by forming micro-curls using and carry out research to generate multidisciplinary advances air texturising. in every field that the project involves. Although cotton remains the fibre of choice and it is extremely The consortium members are; Anglés Textil, S.A. (project lea- difficult to imitate its moisture absorbent properties which der), UNITEX, S.A.;,Tejidos Indesma- llables Geisa, S.L., Anto- make it so desirable in hot climates, certain of its properties nio Morón de Blas, S.L., Tejidos Elásticos Lloveras, S.A., MLS can be conferred on synthetic fabrics by modifying the cross- Elebe 1992, S.L. and TAG Ingenieros Consultores and recei- section and introducing hollow porous fibre, etc. In contrast, ves technological support from AITEX, UPC – Company Chair some properties have been conferred on synthetics which are A3 Chair in Leather innovation at the Universidad Politécnica not available from natural fibre, allowing properties such as de Cataluña and UV - GiBD – Sports Biomechanics Research permeability to moisture with waterproofing, electrical con- Group at the Universidad de Valencia. ductivity, antibacterial and anti-odour properties, fragrance, elasticity, anti UV and low density. Each of the consortium members will provide their coordinated know-how to achieve the goals of the project and their efforts In the field of insulating fibres to protect against the cold will be directed towards enhancing the functionalities of the and inclement weather, developments have been based on textiles used in the sportswear and sports footwear sectors, the use of hollow fibre, different cross-sections and varying optimising protection, comfort and the health and safety of diameters of micro-fibre. Coatings employ the heat-retentive athletes by integrating textile engineering technology and res- properties of hollow chemical fibres and the incorporation of pecting the needs of the athlete. IR-absorbent compounds, such as zirconium, which absorbs and stores solar energy. This is an ambitious project involving a variety of different lines of research, and the expected results include: Another possibility which is gaining in popularity is the use of phase-change materials (PCM) which have the ability to Improved visibility for outdoor athletes to make them more ea- change state within a certain temperature range. A series of sily visible to motorists and prevent accidents. benefits have been recorded for microcapsule-based fibre:

•The creation of solutions to protect the athlete against envi- •Cooling effect (by absorbing body warmth). ronmental agents including mosquitos and pollen. •Insulating effect (caused by the emission of warmth from •The integration of cooling technology in a textile through spe- the PCM inside the textile structure, creating a thermal ba- cial finishing techniques and the inclusion of technical fibres to rrier reducing heat flow from the body to the outside to regulate body temperature during hot weather. reduce loss of body heat).

•The integration of sensors to monitor physical parameters, •Thermo-regulating effect, which maintains a constant location and timings, etc. temperature.

31 _research_ 2017 septiembre aitex

The incorporation of synthetic microcapsule fibres during the wish to achieve and are only limited by the technical condi- spinning process means that active compounds with different tions, required performance and economic viability. functions than those described above can be added and this is a very promising development for sports, medicine, cosmetics and aesthetics.

Prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays causes burns which pe- netrate the skin and cause wrinkles and skin ageing. By adding UV-absorbent dyes, titanium dioxide pigments which absorb and reflect light, ceramic fibres which absorb and neutralise UV and reflect IR or UV blockers to the textile structure, the damaging effect of UV radiation on our skin can be reduced.

Another clear example of extremely interesting developments in sports is the bactericidal effect to inhibit the proliferation of micro-organisms, which can be conferred on clothing articles during the finishing process or which may be inherent in the fibre itself. Most finishes apply bactericide on the surface, with varying degrees of success. Anti-odour finishes are also looking very promising in the field of sports clothing.

The achieval of a liquid-repellent effect, particularly to water, while maintaining the necessary levels of breathability, has led to several developments, ranging from textures with a high density of yarns and picks to the application of impregnated or coated finishes. These elastomeric resins permit extremely fine layers of coating which is impermeable to water and breathable, and this capability can be tailor-made to suit the client, by increasing the thickness of the coating or adding an external hydrophilic layer, waterproofing and breathability can be increased significantly.

For sportswear to be comfortable it must be breathable and absorb perspiration and work is being carried out on the development of porous synthetic fibre with a hollow centre and a large number of micro-pores on the outer surface. The perspiration is immediately absorbed by the pores and trapped in the hollow centre, leaving the surface of the fibre dry.

Nanotechnology offers the possibility of conferring innovative functionality on polymers and these properties could be extrapolated to the group of synthetic fibres obtained by melt spinning different thermoplastic polymers. This leads to the speculation that conventional thermoplastic fibres can be enhanced with new functionality to make them more competitive with other technical fibres in terms of performance and of course, price.

Thermoplastic fibres, which are now widely used in many different clothing, decoration and home textile applications may find an entry into the type of applications reserved until now for high-tech fibres, including sportswear. The most commonly- used thermoplastic polymers in textiles are polypropylene, po- This project is funded by the CDTI – Centre for Indus- lyethylene, polyamide 6 and 6.6, polyester (PET) and others trial Technological Development and co-funded by ERDF such as poly trimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and poly butyle- funding through the National Business Research Con- ne terephthlate (PBT) which have become commodities and sortium Strategic Programme (CIEN) whose uses are now well consolidated.

The possibilities offered by adding nanomaterials to these fibre types are immense depending on the particular function we

32 aitex octubre 2009_ aitex octubre 2009_

33 _research

Research and development of technical, functional and sustainable materials for Green Cities

AITEX’s Materials and Sustainability Research Group

Background and objectives Development and results

The main objective of the ECOMATEX project is to carry out AITEX is specifically working on the revalorisation of olive marc research and development of technical, functional and sustai- waste and is developing non-woven wet-laid structures. The nable textile materials, composites and those with an inorga- successful non-woven fabrics have a fibre length of between 3 nic matrix for use in Green Cities. AITEX is researching, within and 20 mm and the process involves a series of stages which the remit of the project, alternative solutions to components are yet to be optimised: the right suspension, optimised per- currently used in construction, with enhanced properties and centages, working temperatures and a study of the wet-laid which are more environmentally-friendly, to promote the use of process, the consolidation of the non-woven and an optimised sustainable materials. calendering process.

Among the various open lines of research within ECOMATEX, The optimised wet-laid fabric was used to manufacture com- of particular interest is research into composites made from posite and laminate materials on a hot press. The employment different types of waste. In this respect, work has been under- of pressure and temperature on layers of the non-woven ma- taken to manufacture wet-laid non-woven materials and lami- terial in a mould ensures that the resulting panels are well con- nates using olive marc and Posidonia waste solidated. There is great interest in the possibilities offered by the panels as insulation and particle board for the construction OLIVE MARC WASTE POSIDONIA OCEÁNICA and furniture industries, which are both target industries for the ECOMATEX project.

Olive marc waste is a by-product Posidonia oceanica is a of the olive oil industry and is flowering aquatic plant endemic derived from the skin, stone and to the Mediterranean region. It fine solid waste from the pul is common to find brown balls on the beaches, which are made of the rhizomes and other material left over from the plant’s decomposition

Figure 1: wet-laid non-woven fabrics under development.

In recent years there has been growing interest in the processing, revalorisation and reuse of a wide range of waste pro- As regards the revalorisation of Posidonia oceanica, AITEX has ducts from industry and agriculture to find an added-value fac- been working on the collection of sea balls from the beaches of tor for them. This is an alignment with increased public concern Valencia, and then shredding and sifting the fibre to obtain the and awareness of environmental issues, waste reduction and right fibre length for processing into heat-pressed composites. the exhaustion of Earth’s finite resources. The combination of The raw materials are Posidonia oceanica fibre and polyuretha- biodegradable polymers with natural animal, vegetable and ne resin, which are fed into a metal mould which is closed and mineral fibre opens up a huge range of possibilities for new the hot press applies heat and pressure to produce composite environmentally-friendly composite materials which will be of panels for use as insulation in the construction industry.- enormous use in a range of products in daily use in sectors including interior design and construction, to name a few. With The resulting materials are currently being characterised to de- this in mind it is important to promote the use of natural waste termine their properties and to select the end use for which fibre or fibres from industrial processes, in order to find a solu- they are best suited. Physical and mechanical trials are being tion to the enormous quantities produced. undertaken to help determine their acoustic and thermal insu-

34 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

Figure 2: manufacturing laminates and insulation panels from the wet-laid non-woven material

Figure 3: manufacturing laminates and insulation panels from the Posidonia oceanica fibre and PU resin lation performance and the panels will be of most use in the construction industry in applications not requiring particularly high tensile strength or mechanical performance. Both the non-wovens and the laminate panels should be appropriate for use in the insulation of homes and industrial buildings.

In addition, the new materials could be of use to the automotive industry as light-weight padding and acoustic and thermal insulation components.

There are other interesting possibilities for the panels, as components in sustainable furniture or where good acoustic and thermal insulation is required, such as interior design articles and components.

The research which is being undertaken with the framework of the ECOMATEX project will contribute to sustainable development and the common good, which is in accordance with what sustainable development means today and which is a priority for political bodies the world over. Sustainable development has gained momentum progressively and is now enshrined in international law, regulation and specific agreements on such matters as Biodiversity, Climate change, Reducing pollution, Safety, Education and Social justice. Research projects into the “ECOMATEX - Research and development of technical, functio- development of sustainable materials provide a whole range nal and sustainable materials for Green Cities” is funded by the of benefits to society and the environment, and this project will Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Co- lead to a reduction in the environmental impact of a product’s merç i Treball at the Generalitat Valenciana, through IVACE, and life cycle right through to the end of its useful life. It will help co-funded by ERDF funds from the EU within the ERDF Opera- reduce the uncontrolled accumulation of inert waste material in tional Programme of the Comunitat Valenciana 2014-2020. File: the environment produced by industry, which consumes fossil IMAMCI/2016/1 fuels.

Last but not least, promoting the reuse of agricultural waste has an economic benefit by providing an added-value factor to materials which would otherwise be disposed of in landfill sites, or incinerated.

35 _research

Research into pattern-making and garment-making technologies to develop clothing adapted to unusual body types

AITEX’s Garment-making, Design and Fashion Research Group

Background

A person’s morphology is the category they are classified into depending on their physical shape. Empirically, there are several categories of body types which, despite being useful for research purposes cannot be fully extrapolated to the entire population.

“Unusual morphologies” are those physical configurations which do not fit into any of the normal garment-making standards, and which therefore require customised or bespoke articles. Customisation is on the rise (as has been proven during the prospective study undertaken as part of the project). There is a wide range of articles and services which are customised nowadays and one of the reasons for this surge in popularity is that consumers need to feel special and unique. • To complete a survey of these individuals to provide data on The need to undertake the project arose from the realisation the development of the methodology and tools and their analy- that the textile and clothing industry requires the use of certain sis to enable manufacturers to begin to manufacture customised tools which aid in the development of bespoke products and articles. Data was also obtained on shopping habits including services with customised morphology, aesthetics and functio- frequency of purchases, where these purchases took place and nalisation. the sensations experienced when visiting a store to make a purchase, only to discover that their favourite colour, print or fabric is not available in their size. Development The results of the preliminary study were used to reach conclusions which in turn helped establish a series of steps to be consi- An analysis of unusual morphologies dered by the manufacturer:

From the perspective of morphology, a study was undertaken of Improvements in sizing methods the various body types displayed by the human body. This was completed by scanning different subjects with a 3D scanner to - The inclusion of a range of sizes obtain detailed information on measurements and dimensions. A small data base was created to enable manufacturers to adapt - The inclusion of a body type symbol client types to those they supply or are interested in supplying. Improvements in garment sizes and measurements The tasks completed within the project were: - Manufacturing in a range of lengths: short, medium and long • To carry out preliminary research into typical body measurements of the Spanish population and the problems involved in - The ability to vary measurements and fittings without excessive current standard sizes, and also to carry out a comparative study price rises of the potential consumer base for articles which have been customised to a user’s morphology. Improvements in design and aesthetics

• To scan a cross section of potential consumers of customised - A selection of designs for different body types products. Measurements were taken of a population group which does not fit the standard and which experiences great difficulty - The use of different patterns, materials and colours for each when purchasing clothing which fits. body type

36 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

_investigación

Pattern-making technology

The project has analysed the automation of processes typically employed in a garment manufacturer or fashion house, including a range of CAD pattern-making programmes and their suitability for developing customised articles. A comparative study was also completed between manual and automatic processes to develop an approach which provides appropriate solutions for both.

Research at this juncture is principally based on the current state of the art of 3D pattern design systems and how well they adapt to the pattern-making methods employed by dress makers and tailors up until now.

Figura 1. Captura de pantalla de la herramienta desarrollada en el marco del proyecto. The influence of materials and colours Figure 1: screen shot of the tool developed by the project. Por otra parte, previo al desarrollo del proyecto y a lo largo del mismo, se realizó un As we mentioned earlier, two aspects which influence customi- estudio prospectivo acerca de la personalización de productos y servicios, el cual se amplía diariamente y se actualiza a través de la página web de AITEX. Los criterios sation and how well a garment adapts to the morphology of the aplicados •a laA hora data de baseseleccionar of individuals la información of aboth incluir sexes en el estudio was created. de prospectiva wearer are also aesthetic and functional aspects. A very simple, fueron el aspectoThe subjects de la innovación were yscanned el volumen and econó themico resulting generado. measure- fully-automated system was developed which permits the selec- ments were then adapted to both CAD systems and ma- tion of materials and prints depending on the physiology of a par- Resultadosnual obtenidos pattern-making systems. ticular client. El proyecto INVESPAT ha investigado y aportado diferentes opciones de personalización• A simple-to-use de productos para graphic el sector tool Textil which – confección, enables lasthe cuales designer han dado lugar a una serie de herramientas y estudios que ayudan a las empresas a desarrollar To this end, two studies were carried out: one into the needs which productos toy serviciosview and desde analyse el punto shapes, de vista textures,de la personalizació colours n.and En concreto,prints se are not currently met when designing and developing a garment, han desarrollado:on different body types. and the other to look into materials and the behaviour of a user • Una base datos de individuos de ambos sexos que han sido escaneados y when the texture, weight, weave or composition of a garment is cuyos• A datos prospective se adaptan system tanto a whichsistemas is de updated patronaje on asistido a daily por basis ordenador, altered. Different ways were also studied into how the distribution comoto allowa sistemas the userde patronaje to remain manual. informed of the different options of a pattern over a garment affects the wearer’s comfort with it. • Unaavailable herramienta with gráfica respect de sencillo to the manejo, personalisation que me permite of productsanalizar formas, texturas,and services. colores y estampados http://www.aitex.es/invespat. sobre diferentes morfologías de cuerpo. The result of this research was the creation of a series of methods • Un sistema prospectivo que se actualiza diariamente y que permite mantenerse and steps, which were developed into a tool to simulate or hide actualizado en cuanto a las diferentes opciones de personalización de particular shapes, or simulate shapes via the pattern, colour or productos y servicios. http://www.aitex.es/invespat. prints. El proyecto “INVESPAT – Investigación de tecnologías de patronaje y confección para The resulting tool is available for public use on AITEX’s website at el desarrollo de indumentaria adaptada a morfotipos especiales” cuenta con el apoyo de la Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball de la http://www.aitex.es/ invespat. It uses graphic environments com- Generalitat Valenciana, a través del IVACE, y está cofinaciado por los fondos FEDER monly used in the textile and garment industries and which can de la UE, dentro del Programa Operativo FEDER de la Comunitat Valenciana be used by either sectors to develop shapes, colours and prints 2014-2020. which can then be evaluated and validated in a simple process.

Prior to the development of the project and throughout the course of the project, a prospective study was undertaken into the customisation of goods and services, which is being broadened daily and is updated via AITEX’s website.

The criteria applied when selecting the information for inclusion in the prospective study were the degree of innovation and the economic value generated. The INVESPAT project – “Research into pattern-making and garment-making technologies to develop clothing adapted to unusual body types” is funded by the Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball at the Genera- Results litat Valenciana, through IVACE, and co-funded by ERDF funds from the EU, within the ERDF Operational Programme of the Co- The INVESPAT project has researched and provided a munitat Valenciana 2014-2020. series of options for customising textiles and garments, File: IMAMCI/2016/1 which has in turn led to a set of tools and studies which will help manufacturers to develop personalised products and services, specifically:

37 _investigación

Investigación y desarrollo de innovadores monofilamentos técnicos de aplicación en superficies funcionales de césped artificial deportivo y residencial _research_investigación Grupo de Investigación en Fibras Técnicas y Nanotecnologías

Motivación y Objetivos Con la aparición en 1966 del césped artificial, se han desarrollado grandes avances con el objetivo de obtener un producto que imite perfectamente al césped natural. Si bien este se utiliza extensamente como elemento decorativo, su propósito inicial fue el de ser utilizado en campos de futbol y canchas de baseball, siendo instalado Research and developmentpor of _investigaciónprimera innovative vez en el Estadio technical Astrodome (Texas USA). Los grandes beneficios que el césped artificial presenta frente al natural promueven la sustitución de este monofilaments for use on functionalgeneralmente en artificialambientes urbanos, turf ensurfaces ambientes decorativos o instalaciones deportivas.Investigación Una de lasy ventajasdesarrollo más destacadasde innovadores es el mínimo mantenimiento, for sports and residential useevitandomonofilamentos el uso de abonostécnicos que de contaminen aplicación el en suelo, superficies el uso de agua de cultivo y tiempofuncionales de cultivo. de Además, césped artificialpermite jugardeportivo bajo cualquiery residencial circunstancia meteorológica duranteGrupo tiempos de Investigación prolongados en Fibrassin deterioro Técnicas dely Nanotecnologías mismo. Sin embargo, existen ciertos AITEX’s Nanotechnologyinconvenientes and Technical Fibre (abrasión Research de Groupla piel de los jugadores tras caídas, baja resiliencia y nivelMotivación de recuperación y Objetivos y alta temperatura alcanzada en la superficie de las fibras sintéticas)Con la aparición los promotoresen 1966 del césped de artificial, la continua se han desarrollado investigación grandes avances y mejora de las nuevas generacionescon el objetivo• de Newde céspedobtener cross un sectionsartificial. producto with que centralimite perfectamente channels to aldrain césped water natural. Motivation and objectives Si bien este seand utiliza help extensamente reduce the comosurface elemento temperature decorativo, of thesu propósito synthetic inicial Resolverfue el deestos ser utilizado inconvenientes en campos de futboles lo y quecanchas ha de impulsado baseball, siendo a AITEXinstalado a desarrollar nuevas e por primera vezfibre. en el Estadio Astrodome (Texas USA). Los grandes beneficios que el innovadorascésped artificial fibras presenta mediante frente alla natural ejecución promueven del la proyecto sustitución INNOTURF.de este Con este fin, se Since the appearance in 1966 of artificial turf, enormous llevaronad- generalmente a cabo• enThe tres ambientes additivation líneas urbanos, de of actuación:the en fibres ambientes with antibacterialdecorativos oand instalaciones self- deportivas. Una de las ventajas más destacadas es el mínimo mantenimiento, vances have been made in the technology to imitate natural• Fibrasevitando elbicomponentes usocleaning de abonos compounds que contaminencore/sheath as well elas suelo, grass para el scent uso una deto aguaenhancemayor de cultivo itsrecuperación y de la fibra grass as closely as possible. While artificial turf is now used cuandotiempo de cultivo.estaadded-value esAdemás, deformada factor.permite jugar por bajo la cualquier acción circunstancia de una meteorológicafuerza. A su vez se consigue un extensively as a decorative element, its initial purpose was durante tiempos prolongados sin deterioro del mismo. Sin embargo, existen ciertos tactoinconvenientes más suave(abrasión en de contacto la piel de los con jugadores la piel tras que caídas, minimiza baja resiliencia la aparición y de heridas. as a playing surface for football and baseball and it was first nivel de recuperación y alta temperatura alcanzada en la superficie de las fibras installed commercially at the Astrodome in Texas. Artificial• Nuevassintéticas)Development seccioneslos promotores transversales de la continua coninvestigación canales y mejoracentrales de las denuevas evacuación del agua con turf offers huge benefits over natural grass and is widely elgeneraciones fin de rebajarde césped artificial.las altas temperaturas alcanzadas en la superficie de las fibras used in urban settings, for decoration and on playing sur- Resolver estos inconvenientes es lo que ha impulsado a AITEX a desarrollar nuevas e sintéticas.innovadoras fibras mediante la ejecución del proyecto INNOTURF. Con este fin, se faces. Its most important benefits include low maintenan- llevaronBicomponent a cabo tres líneas core/sheath de actuación: fibres • Aditivación de las fibras con compuestos antibacterianos, autolimpieza y olor a ce: artificial turf does not require the use of fertilisers which • Fibras bicomponentes core/sheath para una mayor recuperación de la fibra contaminate the soil or water and there is no wait while it is céspedcuandoWith paraesta the es dotar goaldeformada ofal maximisingproducto por la acción de thede ununa fibre’s granfuerza. strengthvalor A su vez añadido. seand consigue mi- un growing or recovering after use. It also allows play to conti- tactonimise más suave the en riskcontacto of conabrasion la piel que injury, minimiza bicomponent la aparición de heridas.core/ nue in all weathers without affecting performance. However, • Nuevassheath secciones fibres transversales were developed con canales centrales during de the evacuación project. del Theagua con el fin de rebajar las altas temperaturas alcanzadas en la superficie de las fibras there are certain drawbacks associated with its use (skinDesarrollo sintéticas.use of bicomponent structures means that a wide range abrasions during a fall, low resistance and recovery and • Aditivaciónof surfaces de las fibrascan becon achieved, compuestos allantibacterianos, with excellent autolimpieza structural y olor a the high temperatures reached on the surface of syntheFibras- césped bicomponenteproperties. para dotar alThe producto corecore/sheath de is un composedgran valor añadido. of high-density po- tic fibres), all of which are reasons for continuing researchCon el objetivolyethylene de (HDPE), maximizar which la confers resiliencia enhanced de las resistance fibras minimizando el riesgo de into the properties of artificial turf to improve next-generationabrasión Desarrollo tode deformity la piel, whense desarrollan compared tofibras conventional bicomponentes fibres, whi core/sheath.- La utilización versions. le the sheath is of polypropylene (PP) to ensure a soft de Fibrasestructuras bicomponente bicomponente core/sheath permite obtener una gran variedad de superficies but firm coating. manteniendoCon el objetivo buenas de maximizar propiedades la resiliencia estructurales. de las fibras minimizando De este el riesgomodo, de utilizando polietileno Finding solutions to these drawbacks is AITEX’s motivationde altaabrasión densidad de la piel, (HDPE)se desarrollan como fibras núcleo, bicomponentes se consigue core/sheath. una La utilizaciónresistencia a la deformación for developing innovative fibres and the reason behind the de estructuras bicomponente permite obtener una gran variedad de superficies INNOTURF project. To this end, three lines of action have manteniendo buenas propiedades estructurales. De este modo, utilizando polietileno de alta densidad (HDPE) como núcleo, se consigue una resistencia a la deformación been undertaken:

• Development of a bicomponent core/sheath fibre to enhance the recovery time when the surface has been defor- med by force. This also improves the feel of the surface when in contact with the skin, minimising skin injuries and grazing.

Figure 1: bicomponent flat tape core/sheath demonstrators

Flat tape with special cross sections

One of the biggest drawbacks for artificial turf is the excessive temperatures reached on its surface compared Image 1: prototype artificial turf in red, green and blue to natural grass. A study undertaken by Buskirk et al.

38 aitex september 2017_

at the Pennsylvania State University observed that sur- properties of TiO2 lead to the breakdown of a range of face temperature on artificial turf was between 25 and organic compounds (VOCs) and inorganic compounds 30ºC higher than natural grass. This increase presents a (NOx and SO2), which are aggressive to both a material’s huge problem for athletes and users where artificial turf properties and the environment. That is why titanium is installed. Many studies have focused their attention dioxide is useful in lengthening the service life of ma- on identifying how environmental parameters affect fibre terials at the same time as it helps achieve substantial temperature: while sunlight and air temperature directly reductions in the concentration of certain contaminants affect fibre temperature, ambient moisture has the oppo- found in polluted air. site effect. Putting this knowledge to practical use, fibres were developed with special cross sections for drainage Aromatherapy understands the importance of scent to via which rain water and airflow help cool the fibre sur- arouse sensations within us. Certain smells relax, sti- face. mulate and even recharge our energy levels. The smell of cut grass may arouse different feelings in different Flat tape with special properties people but is generally associated with warm happy memories. Microencapsulation traps tiny amounts of an active compound in a protective shell and the capsules can then be incorporated into a synthetic fibre during the melt-spinning process which is released when the surface is rubbed. The result is an artificial surface with the look, feel and even smell of natural grass which maintains these properties over long periods of time and under constant use.

Results and conclusions

Figure 2: flat tape with special cross sections The results of INNOTURF were satisfactory and demonstrated that the development of core/sheath (PP/HDPE) fibres notably improved the resilience and recovery capability of the fibre, in Conferring new properties on artificial turf gives it an addition to reducing skin abrasions. The development of inno- added-value factor, setting it apart from other commer- vative cross sections with central drainage channels also helps cially-available products. To this end, three types of the synthetic fibre maintain its strength while helping to reduce functionalised fibres have been developed: one using the surface temperature. silver kaolin with antibacterial properties, another using zinc dioxide with self-cleaning capability and the third Finally, the additivation of silver kaolin, zinc oxide and scented additivated with microcapsules containing the scent of microcapsules confers the fibre with a significant added-value cut grass. factor to help the product establish a lead in the market.

The anti-bacterial effect of silver in low concentrations against a range of pathogens is well known, as well as its harmlessness to mammals. The wide-ranging inhibi- ting effect, bactericidal and antimicrobial properties of silver ions have been studied extensively and by using these same properties, artificial turf which is resistant to animal urine and environmental pollution (both common agents when used outside) can be developed. “INNOTURF - Research and development of innovative techni- The self-cleaning properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) cal monofilaments for use on functional artificial turf surfaces has been widely demonstrated, and of particular value for sports and residential use” is funded by the Conselleria is a study carried out by researchers at UCL, Imperial d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of College London and the Dalian Technological University the Generalitat Valenciana, through IVACE, and co-funded by in China, published on the 6th March in Science, which ERDF by the EU, within the ERDF Operational Programme of the demonstrated that paint containing nanoparticles of ti- Comunitat Valenciana 2014-2020. tanium dioxide provides a self-cleaning performance File: IMAMCI/2016/1 to a range of surfaces and materials even on damaged surfaces during and after immersion in oil. The coating is applied in the form of tiny droplets which roll around the surface acting as tiny vacuum cleaners, collecting dirt, virus and bacteria along the way. The photocatalytic

39 _research_investigación

R+D of new sustainable functional finishes on technical textiles and garments

AITEX’s Biotechnology, Health and Technical Finishes Research Group

The textile finishing sub sector is currently experiencing a process of reconversion and rein- dustrialisation to provide an added-value factor both from a technical and ecological point of view, to respond to stiff competition from emerging economies where environmental protection is less important. Even so, conventional technologies can be still be found in the vast majority of textile finishing facilities, as is the case with padding, screen printing and rotational printing and dip-coating, all of which consume vast quantities of water and chemicals as well as heavily- contaminated discharges. This is the reason that FUN2GARMENT is researching different technologies which offer environmental benefits and the opportunity of developing new effects and functionality in home textiles and sportswear.

Objective and scope of the project

The core goal of FUN2GARMENT is to develop and va- lidate new textile finishing processes using laser, ozone and micronisation (nano-bubble) technology adapted to the home textile and sportswear industries for use on natural and synthetic fabrics. The project seeks both functionality and a high degree of technicality from the resulting textiles and also aims to save water, chemicals and energy compared to more conventional techniques such as direct impregnation, spraying and dip coating. In the denim manufacturing sector these technologies already offer excellent results as regards sustainability and product customisation but there are no validated referen- ces to the their development and use on the fabrics and applications contemplated by FUN2GARMENT.

The objective is to find new fashionable and design aesthetic effects and different functionalities for the textiles in question to create finished fabrics with a range of uses in different sectors and applications.

•The three technologies considered by the project will be used to develop the design and fashion effects, to create new textures (Figure 1), designs and customised colour tones using laser marking and controlled colour fading via Figure 1: different textures (above) and micro perforated effects (below) created on leather during the first half of FUN2GARMENT ozone treatment, as well as new dyes with special overdye effects which, while being random can be reproduced via micronisation. This new technology reduces water consumption by up to 80% and chemical consumption by up to 50%, with • Micronisation technology will be used to produce the fo- waste water reductions of over 90% compared to con- llowing expected functionalities: water and oil repellen- ventional processes. ce, water repellence (using fluorine-free compounds), Considering that the textiles in question will principally be anti-microbial effect (anti-bacterial and fungicidal), mos- used for home textiles and sportswear, AITEX proposes quito repellence, anti-odour (with silver-free compounds) an impact study to fully understand the success of and flame retardance (with halogen-free compounds). transferring the project’s results to two sectors in which

40 aitex september 2017_

the Valencian textile industry possesses an important manufacturing capacity, a great potential for innovation and a notable market share both nationally and internationally. The main results expected and achieved to date

The results expected of FUN- 2GARMENT, throughout 2017 are the following: • New customised home textile fabrics (principally for curtains and upholstery) with new textures, innovative aesthetics and designs achieved with laser marking technology. • New home textile preparation and cleaning pre- treatments using ozone treatment. • Sports and leisure wear which has been customised using laser marking, with designs achieved using ozone technology or micronised dyes combined with the functional performance sought by the project; water and oil repellence, water repellence, anti-microbial effect, mosquito repellence, anti-odour effect and flame retardance achieved using micronised finishes. • Reduce in water and chemical consumption and processing times compared to conventional finishing processes. Figure 2: customised decoration on knitted sportswear (PES 100%), • Attain new general levels of performance, functiona- achieved using laser-marking developed by FUN2GARMENT: micro lity, safety and comfort which are long-lasting and wash- perforated finish (above) and colour (below). safe, which will be useful for future developments of environmentally-friendly, high-performance textiles. • Evaluate and measure the impact of the project on This will enable the application of low-viscosity finishes to con- home textile and sportswear manufacturers and finishers, fer liquid repellence, antimicrobial and anti-mosquito finishes chemical manufacturers and distributors to the textile indirectly onto the finished garment, with much lower consump- dustry and machinery manufacturers, etc. tion of chemicals, even lower water consumption and greatly • The inclusion of at least 1 Valencian company from reduced volumes of waste-water discharge. each sector mentioned in the previous paragraph (6 in total) which are directly implicated in the project, directly aware of the results obtained and fully-implicated in the results and knowledge transfer process through cooperation agreements.

To date, AITEX has researched new functional and environmentally-friendly finishing processes based on laser technology, ozone generation and micronisation. The first laser-marking process and others for home textiles and sportswear have already been set up (Figure 2), resulting in a series of samples demonstrating the different effects.

The ozone effect, initially researched on denim, to increase the team’s know-how with respect to the action of the gas on “FUN2GARMENT - R+D of new sustainable functional finishes dyes and fibres is also being studied to better understand its on technical textiles and garments” is funded by the Conselleria interaction with dyed home textile fabrics, as well as raw and d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of sized fabrics to study the degradation it causes on the dyes the Generalitat Valenciana, via IVACE, and co-funded by ERDF and other compounds present in the fabric. funds from the EU, within the ERDF Operational Programme of the Comunitat Valenciana 2014-2020. Research is also underway into the possibilities that fluid mi- File: IMDEEA/2017/34 cronisation represents for finishing processes, principally for sports and leisure wear: given that the technology and application systems are still emerging technologies for the textile sector, standard formulations for conventional finishing systems must be developed and adapted specifically for micronisation.

41 _research_investigación

Encapsulation systems with anti-mosquito properties for application on textile substrates

Laurentia Technologies, S.L.L and AITEX’s Biotechnology, Health and Technical Finishes Research Group

Introduction

The core goal of MICROTECH is to undertake the research and development of new encapsulation systems using micro and nano-capsules, which incorporate compounds of interest to the textile and cosmetics industries. Within this context, a collaboration agreement was reached between Laurentia Te- chnologies and AITEX to study the functionalisation of textiles by the application of microcapsules developed by Laurentia Technologies which have mosquito-repellent properties.

There is a growing demand for mosquito repellents and extensive work is being undertaken to find plant-based compounds which are much less harmful to our health and the environment than synthetic compounds. The most commonly-used insect repellent in this respect is N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, better known as DEET 1. One of its drawbacks is its unpleasant smell but this is compounded by reports of side effects such as skin irritation and insomnia, quite apart from the fact that it cannot be used on children under 2. Possible substitutes to synthetic compounds like DEET are natural oils of citronella2, eucalyp- registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)5 as tus, basil and clove. a bio-pesticide, which means it is effective but harmless to health. A range of studies has compared the effectiveness and duration of plant-based and synthetic insect repellents and the conclusions clearly show that while the repellent properties of Development essential oils are good, the duration of the effect is poorer3 and that is where encapsulation comes into its own as the ideal solution to this problem. Rigorous testing has established that the minimum concentration of LaurCitron® which must be present in acrylic latex to ensure Laurentia Technologies have been researching the develop- that a fabric attains and retains an effective mosquito repellent ment of a product using microcapsules containing citronella performance is at least 4 %. The following graph shows a com- oil which can release the compound as required, lengthening parison of the rate of controlled release of encapsulated citronella its effective lifetime. Their product (LaurCitron®) has been de- oil when present in acrylic latex in percentages of 100 % and 4 %. signed to be added to acrylic latex for use in textiles and paint. LaurCitron® is an effective mosquito repellent thanks to its Measurements were taken using gas chromatography and give natural compounds (citronellal, citronellol and geraniol) which an idea of the percentage of the mosquito-repellent property are monoterpenoids which combine mosquito-repellence with which is retained. The minimum concentration of citronella which excellent fungicidal properties4. Citronella oil is classified and must be released to guarantee a repellent effect is 5 %. The graph

1. Resolucion 0578 DE 2004. 2. La citronella cymbopogon nardusfunciona como perfume anti-mosquitos, Moctezuma Maciel, Sofia Fernanda,Rojas Villa, Cinthia Vianey,Torres Nuñez Oscar Uriel,Valencia Zaragosa Kenia Airel. 6/12/2013, UVM-Hispano. 3. Evaluation of the use of repellent against mosquito bite by military personnel in the Amazon Basin. Jonas Ribas; Ana Maria Carreño. An. Bras. Dermatol. vol.85 no.1 Rio de Janeiro Jan./Feb. 2010. 4. Kazuhiko Nakahara, Najeeb S. Alzoreky , Tadashi Yoshihashi, Huong T. T. Nguyen and Gassinee Trakoontivakorn, "Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella Grass)", Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS),(Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–8686, Japan), JARQ - October 2003 - (Vol. 37 No. 4 ) 5. EPA citronella reregistration fact sheet

42 aitex september 2017_

. Estudio liberación 40 Results obtained 35

Polimero con 4% LaurCitron 25 In order to confirm that the citronella microcapsules are pre- 20 sent on the fabric surface and that the fabric possesses a

15 mosquito-repellent property, the anti-microbial effect was tes- % liberación 10 ted as citronella is a highly effective antimicrobial compound.

5 The following table shows the results:

0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 % Reduction Reference Microorganism tested Semanas (ufc/ml)

Escherichia coli ATCC Figure 1: the release curve for LaurCitron® and a polymer additivated 99,99 with 4 % LaurCitron®. 25922 (CECT 434) Essential oil of citronella Staphylococcus aureus shows that the reduction in the active compound is exponential 99,99 and remains constant after 8 weeks. The polymer containing 4 ATCC 6538 (CECT 239) % LaurCitron® shows release values which stabilise at around Escherichia coli 10 % after the eighth week and the polymer retains its mosquito- Cotton fabric 99,99 repellent effect for more than three months. treated with ATCC 25922 (CECT 434) microcapsules of Staphylococcus aureus citronella 99,99 Concurrent tests were also undertaken by applying the product to ATCC 6538 (CECT 239) cotton fabrics to study both the effective concentration required and the most ideal method of bonding the microcapsules to the fibre. This involved studying the use of two types of acrylic resin; one which reticulates at a certain temperature and the other which reticulates at ambient temperature. The MICROTECH project “Research and Development of Functional Micro and Nano-capsules for use in Cosmetics and The resin which reticulates at ambient temperature was chosen Textiles” (Years 1 and 2) is funded by the Conselleria d’Economia as it affects the properties of the encapsulated oil less. The per- Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball, through IVACE manence of the microcapsules was tested with wet and dry rub- (Valencian Institute for Business Efficiency), and co-funded with bing (ISO 105-X12:2016) and wash fastness (UNE-EN ISO 105- ERDF funds from the EU. C06:2010). Files: IMAMCI/2016/1 (Year 1) and IMDEEA/2017/1 (Year 2)

43 _succes stories

Designer furniture with sound absorbent properties

AITEX’s Biotechnology, Health and Technical Finishes Research Group

SANCAL Diseño, S.L., has worked in partnership with AITEX to develop an innovative sound- absorbing furniture collection, with a well-balanced design which considers the user.

In order to successfully complete the project, data were nee- The problem of acoustics as a ded on physical and physiological acoustics, as well as archi- starting point tectonic acoustics, which is the field the company’s products are designed for. Certain key aspects have been studied including noise type and propagation, absorption, conditioning, SANCAL Diseño, S.L. is a pioneer in the design of furniture and reverberation times, insulation and characterisation tests, etc. decorative components designed for open public spaces. This type of environment requires high-quality functional articles The decorative materials used (foams, fabrics, board, etc.) which are in keeping with market demands. were subjected to acoustic tests and analysis alone and in various combinations, to ascertain their acoustic response The company recognised a need for improved designs and and performance. articles and set to work researching and developing a new collection which meets all the demands in functionality, safety and Acoustic absorption, or noise reduction, is generated by struc- durability which the client requires. tures made of materials in different combinations. A sound wave is a pressure wave which transmits energy through a A functional characteristic in ever greater demand nowadays medium, in this case air, via tiny compressions and disten- is that of acoustic absorption. We frequently find ourselves in sions. Improving sound absorption performance required the public spaces where acoustic design is lacking, which crea- application of the following options: tes excessive noise and reverberation and makes it difficult to communicate with those nearby at a comfortable volume. The 1- The inclusion of absorbent material to enhance the position and design of furniture and decorative components products’ high-range frequency performance (high-pitched play a crucial role in interacting with sound waves and absor- sound). bing them. 2- The inclusion of plenums (air chambers) to improve the absorbent performance at low-frequency (low-pitched The road to acoustic comfort and sound). the difficulties encountered An in-depth study was also carried out of the design elements which define the new products, which are in harmony with the company’s philosophy and the task for which the furniture is The project required research and development of functional being designed. articles with excellent acoustic absorption performance to improve the quality of public spaces and the comfort and inti- The appropriate materials were carefully selected, the design macy of the people in it. The difficulties the team encountered indicators identified and the structures and compositions during the development of the project are all associated with assessed, including the other materials such as foam and the following three fundamentals: stuffing provided by AITEX: a series of functional prototypes with optimised acoustic absorption performance were then • Design: geometric aspects, the position of the ma- evaluated. terials, the use of different layers and the final installation of the item all influence the piece’s acoustic response, in terms of absorption capacity, the range of frequencies which can be The products developed absorbed and sound diffusion.

• Materials: research into different combinations of SANCAL took the concepts and developments studied during materials is vital to achieving a functional article. the project and successfully applied them to create an enhanced range of products that reflected all the know-how that was • Manufacturing technologies: manufacture depends gained on sound absorption and acoustic conditioning and as much on the design as the materials to be used, and must three new product lines were released: be adapted to both. Decorative wall element

44 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

The new “BEETLE” series uses absorbent padding and textiles tion. In addition, the furniture is completely customisable and over hollow structures to create a decorative component with modular, to adapt to the needs of each client. excellent acoustic performance. The acoustically-enhanced furniture and elements have been The design has resulted in a series of thoughtful, creative forms thoroughly tested as prototypes and the series was unveiled, which use floating and adjustable components to improve amidst great excitement at the Milan Fair, one of the world’s sound field diffusion. leading furniture fairs where much of the focus was on the be- Productos desarrollados nefits to comfort that the range’s acoustic performance repre- SANCALHanging ha conseguido decorative aplicar element los conceptos estudiados y desarrollados en el proyecto sents. a la creación y mejora de sus productos. El conocimiento, relacionado con la absorción y el acondicionamiento acústico, se ha aplicado en la creación y actualizaciónThe “TARTANA” de tres líneasis a hangingde productos: textile dome designed to increase acoustic1. Elemento absorption. decorativo pared.Different textiles were tested to optimise its performance and different hanging configurations were con- En la nueva serie “BEETLE” se han utilizado materiales absorbentes como relleno y textilessidered con beforebuen comportamiento the “Acoustic acústico Absorbent sobre estructuras Product” o bastidores Certificate huecos. was attained. Se ha trabajado el diseño para conjugar unas formas espectaculares con elementos flotantes o en diferente plano para incrementar la componente de difusión del campoAcoustic sonoro. furniture

Las mejoras han sido testadas sobre los prototipos construidos. Las series de productos han sido presentadas con enorme aceptación en la feria de Milán, evento This is the last line of completely new products and grew from 2. Elemento decorativo colgante. de referencia del sector, haciendo especial hincapié en las propiedades acústicas y the roots set down by the project. It is a range of furniture which los beneficios para el confort. Elhas producto been “TARTANA” designed es unafrom cúpula scratch, textil colgantewhich parawe elcall incremento “ESTANT” de la absorción acústica. Se ensayaron diferentes textiles con el fin de optimizar el comportamientocomprised of y sefurniture, probaron shelving,diferentes configuraciones storage and de morecolocación with antes one de obtenerclear motive: la certificación acoustic de “Producto conditioning. absorbente acústico”. Esther Castaño

The furniture is made from panels which were studied in depth DirectoraEsther Gerente Castaño de SANCAL y Responsable del ProyectoManaging en la empresa. Director of SANCAL and Project Head at the [FOTO] company “Gracias a la realización de este proyecto con la colaboraciónThanks de to AITEX, this collaborationse ha logrado tomar project with AITEX, we concienciahave drawnsobre la attentionimportancia to del the confort importance of acoustic acústicocomfort. para Fromlas personas. now on, Desde an article’s hoy, la acoustic performan- funcionalidadce will help acústica set SANCAL’s será un elemento ranges apart from the com- diferenciadorpetition, de further los productos enhancing de SANCAL, the quevalue of our contempo- aporta valor añadido a sus diseños contemporáneosrary, user-friendly y orientados designs. a las personas”

Project approved by CDTI – Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial and co-funded by ERDF funds from the EU within the 3. Mobiliario acústico. “R+D Operational Programme for the Benefit of Companies”. La última línea de productos es totalmente nueva y ha surgido a raíz del trabajo desarrollado en el proyecto. Supone la creación desde cero de una línea de productos duringllamada the “ESTANT” project y compuesta and por muebles,which estantes, incorporate armarios, etc. con combinations una clara of the vocación de mejora del acondicionamiento acústico.

best-performingLos muebles están compuestos padding por paneles and estudiados textiles durante el marriedproyecto que to natural air incorporan las combinaciones de relleno y textil mejor valoradas y la creación de 3. Mobiliariochambersplenums acústico. de airewithin de forma the natural structure dentro de la propia itself estructura which y en combinación act together with the othercon componentslas paredes y los elementos and dispuestos panels en el mueble. to maximise acoustic absorp- La última líneaSe tratade productosademás, de muebles es totalmente totalmente personalizables nueva yy hamodulables surgido que ase raíz del trabajo adaptan a las exigencias de cada cliente. desarrollado en el proyecto. Supone la creación desde cero de una línea de productos llamada “ESTANT” y compuesta por muebles, estantes, armarios, etc. con una clara vocación de mejora del acondicionamiento acústico. 45 Los muebles están compuestos por paneles estudiados durante el proyecto que incorporan las combinaciones de relleno y textil mejor valoradas y la creación de plenums de aire de forma natural dentro de la propia estructura y en combinación con las paredes y los elementos dispuestos en el mueble.

Se trata además, de muebles totalmente personalizables y modulables que se adaptan a las exigencias de cada cliente. _succes stories

LIFE PHOTOCITYTEX - Photocatalytic textiles for the treatment of polluted air

AITEX’s Sustainability and Materials Research Group

The development and characterisation of photocatalytic textile Start date: July 2014 prototypes on an industrial scale in the form of awnings and End date: June 2017 wall coverings. Coordinator: CEAM Foundation Beneficiaries: AITEX, LEGAMBIENTE, NTT, Ayunta- A range of prototypes was developed in the laboratory using miento de Quart de Poblet a variety of processes, which were then characterised to iden- http://www.ceam.es/PHOTOCITYTEX/home.htm tify their physical, chemical and functional characteristics. Two photocatalytic prototypes were then selected for large-scale development; one using an acrylic fabric with a photocatalytic coating of TiO2 used to manufacture an awning and a PVC fabric with TiO2 on both faces to manufacture a wall covering. Context and objectives Demonstration of the photocatalytic performance of functional textile prototypes in the EUPHORE chamber.

Despite current le- Two prototypes (one an awning and the other a wall covering) gislation and every were installed in the EUPHORE chamber to demonstrate the effort to improve ur- effectiveness of the photocatalytic prototypes under controlled ban air quality, the conditions. The chamber is a hemi-spherical chamber of Te- effects of air pollu- flon with an enclosed air space of approximately 200 m3 in tion are still persis- which atmospheric conditions can be simulated to represent tent. The impact of heavy traffic on atmospheric contamina- different European cities, using natural light. For test purpo- tion is a growing problem and is the main cause of frequent ses, the ambient air quality of Paris, Bologna and the Valencian episodes of serious contamination and dangerous concen- town of Quart de Poblet in Valencia were reconstructed, both trations of nitrous oxide (NOx). High levels of nitrogen dioxide at summer and winter qualities and measurements of contami- (NO2) are associated with lung complaints, increased cases nation were taken before and after installation of the awning, as of breathing problems, asthma and allergies. Decontamina- well as comparative measurements using similar awnings but tion solutions are urgently needed to achieve safer levels of without photocatalytic treatment. air quality and in recent years, the use of photocatalytic materials has been researched using titanium dioxide (TiO2), as a way of eliminating pollutants from the air.

This is the context behind the European project PHOTOCI- TYTEX, whose core objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of using photocatalytic nanomaterials based on TiO2 to improve air quality in urban areas using textile substrates.

A large-scale demonstration of the effectiveness of photocatalytic fabrics.

One of the main activities undertaken within the framework of PHOTOCITYTEX was the large-scale demonstration of the Image 1: installation of the solution in the EUPHORE chamber. effectiveness of the technique of using photocatalytic textiles in the decontamination of urban environments, and the following actions were carried out in this respect: A demonstration of the photocatalytic performance of textile prototypes in an urban environment in Quart de Poblet to demonstrate the effectiveness of the fabrics with respect to air scrubbing under real conditions.

46 aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

The above decontamination results coincide with those observed during air quality measuring campaigns which were carried out using a wide variety of instrumentation including monitors and active samplers, to better understand the processes involved.

• Reductions in VOCs (volatile organic compounds):

In addition, the studies undertaken with photocatalytic awnings in the EUPHORE chamber have demonstrated a significant reduction in pollutants such as toluene, m-xylene and 1,3,5- TMB by a factor of 7.8, 2.9 and 1.3 times respectively, which was unex- pected and only adds further value to the project. With regards Image 2: photocatalytic awning installed at the local school, with to other compounds which could be observed in the air mass measuring and sampling systems around the fabrics, the presence of secondary compounds was observed in typical atmospheric concentrations, leading to the conclusion that these fabrics pose no threat to the environment

The development of a tool to simulate air decontamination

Within the framework of the project a tool was developed to cal- culate the percentage reduction of NOx in urban environments Image 3: photocatalytic covering installed in the A3 tunnel with measuring and sampling systems where the photocatalytic awnings and coverings are installed.

Installations of the fabrics were carried out at two points in By entering a few simple parameters, the advantages of scrub- Quart de Poblet: in the A3 tunnel and a local school. bing NOx by installing photocatalytic awnings and wall coverings in a particular urban environment can easily be estimated. Results obtained The tool is intended to be easy to use by future users of the Photocitytex fabrics, members of the public, public administra- tion etc., and will offer a simple and approximate demonstra- Measurements are being taken regularly at the installations to tion of the environmental benefits of using these fabrics com- determine levels of air contamination before and after installa- pared to conventional fabrics. tion, to evaluate the prototype’s effectiveness. The tool is available for download at: http://photocitytex.eu/ The results obtained, both in the EUPHORE simulation cham- tool/ ber and in the real urban environments in the A3 tunnel and the school are certainly promising:

• 70% reduction in NOx in an hour, under controlled conditions in EUPHORE:

35m2 of photocatalytic awning installed in a volume of 200m3 of air; significantly better than expected from initial calculations, which indicated a 30% reduction over 8 hours. Reductions in NO reached 88% per hour.

• Reductions of NO2 of up to 54% near the awning in a This research project is within the framework of the LIFE PHO- real environment: TOCITYTEX project, financed by the European Commission through the LIFE Programme. Annual readings before and after installation returned reductions of NO2 of 54% near the installation, which is a real improvement File: LIFE13 ENV/ES/000603 over the calculated reduction of 20%.

• Values proven with specific measuring campaigns:

47 _succes stories

The development and validation of a detergent with antiperspirant properties

AITEX’s Biotechnology, Health and Technical Finishes Research Group

SPB Suavizantes y Plastificantes Bituminosos, S.L. has worked in partnership with AITEX, to develop a new detergent/softener with antiperspirant deodorant and antibacterial properties.

The principal purpose of perspiration is to maintain and regula- ted into detergent formulations SPB developed a full study te body temperature, protect the skin against dryness and act of the incompatibilities between the typical compounds as a carrier to remove toxins and other compounds. In most found in detergents and the antiperspirants under study, body care formulations, the most important role is played by as well as formulating and synthesising detergent and deodorants (which control the proliferation of bacteria found on softener samples (Figure 1) which incorporate additives the skin to prevent or delay the appearance of unpleasant body including: odour) and antiperspirants (which reduce the perspiration exuded by the skin without affecting breathability or compromising • Extract of sage the body’s thermoregulatory mechanisms). As detergents are • Cypress oil in direct contact with the skin, SPB Suavizantes y Plastificantes • Carbonate compound Bituminosos, S.L. proposed the development of a detergent • Aluminium chlorhydrate formulation which, in addition to cleaning clothes, could confer _caso de• Alcloxa éxito (Aluminium salt of allantoin) antiperspirant and deodorant properties to the wearer’s skin.

Project objectives

The core objective of the CDTI-supported R+D project undertaken by SPB “The development and validation of a detergent and softener with antiperspirant properties” was to create a new detergent/softener with detergent and antibacterial properties which included an antiperspirant element to help reduce the quantity of perspiration exuded by the wearer when wearing clothes washed in the product. SPB structured the R+D work into several phases:

1. A study and revision of antiperspirants and deodorants and the selection of the final product to be developed (detergent or softener) and the best approach to ! ! ! Image 1: some of the experimental samples of detergents additivated incorporating the resulting functional compound. Figura 1. Algunas de las muestras experimentales de detergente con aditivos antitranspiranteswith antiperspirants desarrolladas developed by porSPB. SPB.

2. Synthesis tests on the new antiperspirant formula- Igualmente, con la colaboración de AITEX, se desarrolló una metodología de tions. evaluación de las propiedades técnicas buscadas que incluyó tanto caracterizaciones sobre tejidos (velocidad de absorción de agua, transferencia de humedad, etc.) como 3. Validation of the applicability of the new formulations ensayosSimilarly, y teststhe partnership realizados with mediante AITEX ledvoluntarios to the development (tewameter o medición de la pérdida on a range of clothing under various wash conditions. transepidérmicaof an approach de for agua, the evaluation termografía of they cuestionario technical properties de opinió n). being sought by the project which included a characterisation 4. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the antipers- Principalesof the fabric resultados (water-absorbance obtenidos and moisture transfer time, piration effect and other properties. etc.) and trials run with volunteers including a Tewameter test Tras(a measureuna primera of the evaluación trans epidermal de propiedadeswater loss) a thermographyde transmisión de humedad realizada 5. Adaptation of the new formulae for manufacture at a sobreand la an primera opinion bateríasurvey. de muestras experimentales, en las que se observó no solo el pilot scale. diferente comportamiento causado por los diferentes aditivos y % empleado, sino también el efecto negativo que el uso de suavizantes tiene en la transmisión de In addition to the research into deodorant and antiperspi- humedadPrincipal (más lenta results y menos obtained capacidad de secado de las prendas lavadas con ellos), rant compounds and molecules already in use in cosmetic SPB procedió al desarrollo de detergentes que incluían un compuesto de carbonato en and personal hygiene products which could be incorpora- diferentes proporciones. Para observar el efecto que las prendas (camiseta de punto y calcetines de algodón 100%) lavadas con ellos producían sobre el usuario, AITEX estableció un método de 48 lavado reproducible en todos los casos: • Lavadora doméstica, a 40ºC y 60 minutos de duración. • Centrifugado 1200 rpm y 2 ciclos de aclarado. • El secado de las prendas fue mediante secadora a 60ºC durante 25 min.

La perspiración fue evaluada con tewameter, en la zona del pie, haciendo que cada voluntario usase durante 8h un calcetín lavado con detergente sin aditivo y otro lavado con detergente antitranspirante. Se observó reducción de la transpiración en 6 de cada 10 voluntarios, siendo esta de aproximadamente un 10% cuando se empleó detergente con el compuesto de carbonato al 6% para el lavado.

Mediante termografía (Figura 2), se cuantificó cierto incremento (0,5 - 0,6ºC) en la zona del pie tanto antes como después de realizar ejercicio físico (30 minutos de carrera continua en cinta) cuando se emplearon calcetines lavados con detergente + 6% del compuesto de carbonato. Esto puede ser debido al hecho de estar actuando el agente antitranspirante el cual ‘cierra’ en parte los poros por los cuales transpira la piel, traduciéndose en el aumento de temperatura observado. En cambio, no se observaron cambios significativos causados por las camisetas lavadas con detergente antitranspirante en termografías realizadas en tronco y espalda de los voluntarios. aitexaitex octubre september 2009_ 2017_

After an initial evaluation of the moisture-transmission properties performed on the first batch of samples, it was observed that there was a difference in performance caused Finally, the opinion survey carried out with the volunteer by the type and concentration of additives and that there group who used T-shirts and socks washed in the antipers- was a negative impact caused by the use of softeners on pirant detergent and washed in conventional detergent re- the transmission of moisture (clothes washed with them turned the following results: transmit moisture slower and drying capacity is reduced). SPB subsequently commenced with the development of • A greater sensation of dryness (up to 10% more) where the detergents with varying concentrations of carbonates. garment which has been washed in the antiperspirant deter- To observe the effect that clothes washed with these de- gent is in contact with the skin. tergents (a knitted T-shirt and 100% cotton socks) have on the wearer, AITEX developed a wash method which is • A greater sensation that the T-shirt absorbs moisture (+60% reproducible in all cases: evaluation) in the volunteer group who carried out normal physical activity wearing T-shirts washed with the antiperspirant • Domestic wash cycle at 40ºC for 60 minutes detergent. • 1200 rpm spin and 2 rinse cycles • Drying cycle in a domestic tumble dryer at 60ºC for 25 • A reduced sensation of wetness (up to 22% less) when wea- minutes ring socks washed with the antiperspirant detergent in the group who carried out normal physical activity.

Perspiration was measured using a tewameter at the foot. Each volunteer wore one sock washed in conventional deter- Conclusions gent and the other washed in the antiperspirant detergent for 8 hours. Reductions in perspiration were recorded in 6 of the 10 subjects: perspiration was reduced in this group by 10% at The following conclusions can be drawn: there is a correlation carbonate concentrations of 6%. between the results of the technical analysis applied to both the test volunteers and the fabrics, which is in part backed up Thermography was used (Figure 2) and measured a slight in- by the opinions expressed in the surveys. The antiperspirant crease in temperature (0.5 – 0.6ºC) at the foot before and af- properties of the detergents containing mineral additives deter physical exercise (30 minutes on a running machine) when veloped by SPB were validated, without compromising either the subject was wearing socks washed with the new detergent the stability of the formula nor the degree of cleanliness and containing 6% carbonate compound. This may be due to the hygiene the detergent conferred on the washed garment. fact that the antiperspirant agent is partly closing the skin po- Ingrid Ferrer res which allow the foot to breathe, increasing the temperature SPB’s R+D+I Department in this area. However, no significant changes were recorded with subjects wearing T-shirts washed with the new detergent During the development of the pro- during thermography performed on the subject’s upper body duct, we faced many challenges as we wanted to obtain all the bene- _caso de éxito fits of a conventional detergent for clothes combined with the powerful performance of deodorants typically used in personal hygiene products. The product had not only to eliminate stains and odour from clothing while caring for the garment and its colour, but also act in synergy with the deodorants to reduce perspiration and create a long-lasting effect. To date there is no similar product on the market, and the results confirm that SPB has developed a truly innovative product.

The research has been carried out within the Project “Develop- ment of a Detergent/Softener with Antiperspiration/Deodorant Properties“ supported by CDTI – Centre for Industrial Technologi- cal Development and co-funded by ERDF funds from the EU, via Figura 2. Zonas de interés evaluadas por termografía durante el uso de camiseta (izquierda y centro) y calcetines (derecha) lavados con muestras de detergente the “Research and Developments Programme” (RDP). antitranspirante.Image 2: test areas evaluated using thermography during T-shirt use (left and centre) and socks (right) washed in samples of the antipers- Por último,pirant el detergent. test de opinión de los grupos de voluntarios que utilizaron camisetas y calcetines lavados con detergente convencional o aditivado con antitranspirantes mostró como resultados más significativos: • andMás back.sensación de que la zona del cuerpo en contacto con la prenda está seca, al utilizar las lavadas con detergente + antitranspirante (hasta un 10% más). • Mayor sensación de que la camiseta absorbe la humedad (+60% de valoración) en el grupo de voluntarios que realizó actividad física normal y utilizó camisetas lavadas con detergente + antitranspirante. • Menor sensación de mojado en los calcetines lavados con detergente + 49 antitranspirante (hasta un 22% menos) en el grupo que realizó actividad física normal.

Conclusiones

Como conclusiones, se pudieron establecer correlaciones entre resultados de técnicas analíticas aplicadas tanto sobre tejidos como sobre voluntarios, y en parte también por lo expresado por los cuestionarios de opinión. De esta manera se pudieron validar las propiedades antitranspirantes de muestras de detergentes desarrolladas por SPB que incluían aditivos minerales en su formulación, sin comprometer ni la estabilidad de las fórmulas ni el poder de limpieza e higienización aportado a las prendas lavadas con ellas.

Nombre persona empresa, cargo

“texto con las impresiones de la empresa respecto de la realización del proyecto y sus resultados” Foto del Responsable del PROYECTO en la empresa _european proyects

AITEX leads the European WORTH Partnership Project

The joint projects must include at least two of the profiles Start date: May 2017 End date: April 2021 Coordina- above and will be focused on three types of projects: tor: AITEX Partners: KEPA - Business and Cultural Develop- Design projects where the added-value factor comes from ment Centre; IED - Istituto Europeo di Design; DAG the product’s design and creativity. Communication; AA - Avvocati Associati franzosi Dal Negro Setti • Projects based on the product, in those cases where the manufacturer and designer develop innovative projects.

www.worthproject.eu • Technology-based projects in which the added-value factor resides in the technology applied to the design or the product itself.

Worth Partnership Project will support 150 selected projects with:

• Direct economic assistance

Training carried out by experts in different fields depending on specific needs (intellectual property rights, marketing and business and technology, among others) The WORTH Partnership Project will support up to 150 joint projects between designers, start-ups, technology firms, cra- • Exhibition of the results of the projects at leading interna- ftsmen, manufacturers and SMEs from all over Europe to de- tional business fairs velop innovative products with a high added-value factor in different sectors related to fashion and consumer goods. • Activities and workshops which promote networking and inter-sectorial collaboration WORTH Partnership Project • A wide variety of European partners • Recognised professionals from the fashion industry who The WORTH Partnership Project grew out of a proposal to will collaborate with the partners and offer support and ad- help increase competitiveness in the fashion sector and vice enable the ideas and initiatives of designers to take off backed up by technical and economic support and aided • Market positioning for the brands and products develo- by a network of technology and industrial partners iden- ped during the project tified and selected from all over Europe. The project has received 3.3 million euros funding from the EC’s COSME Programme to drive growth and employment in the crea- How to participate in WORTH tive industries.

The project promotes collaboration between designers, WORTH Partnership Project will last for 4 years during which start-ups, technology firms, craftsmen, manufacturers and time the call for applications will remain open, with different SMEs in the textile, fashion, leather, furniture and decora- selection processes being held periodically. The first call to for tion, footwear, accessories and jewellery industries in the the application process will open on the 18th September and 28 member countries and countries which are members of remain open until the 31st December. COSME (Programme for the Competitiveness of Compa- nies and SMEs). These partnerships will result in the crea- Participation is open to any designer, creative person, crafts- tion of innovative products with a high added-value factor, man, manufacturer, technology company, start-up and SME using new technologies and processes and combining from the sectors related to consumer goods and who are wi- creativity and teamwork across Europe. lling to work as a member of a team, take on new challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that the WORTH community provides.

50 aitex september 2017_

Applications can be made through the WORTH website at: KEY DATA www.worthproject.eu which also contains all the information When: necessary. Call opens on the 18th September First period for applications closes in December 2017 The WORTH community Who: Designers, start-ups, technology firms, craftsmen, manufacturers and SMEs in the textile, fashion, leather, furniture The WORTH community is made up of all the key players who and decoration, footwear, accessories and jewellery indus- collaborate with the project and share its values. tries WORTH values How:

CREATIVITY: promoting outside-the-box creative thinking Completing an online registration at: www.worthproject.eu

IDENTITY: highlighting the importance of a European culture • Consultants and mentors: specialists in diffe- INNOVATION: generating ideas which lead to change and rent fields who will guide project partners by training add value to products and businesses. New ways of thinking them in a range of specialities including intellectual and creating property rights, marketing and business. The men- EXPERIENCE: living the connection between industries and tors will also accompany the partners throughout sharing techniques, know-how and to create in partnership the project and be available for any consultation dee- with others med necessary.

At the centre of the WORTH community is the project developed by the partners who are supported by the following key agents: You can form part of the WORTH Community through any one of these key agents, by visiting the project website. www.wor- • The selection committee: recognised experts from thproject.eu the world of fashion and creative industries who will participate in the evaluation of the selected projects and who will collaborate with them.

• The ambassadors: those organisations and in- The WORTH Partnership Project is funded by dividuals, from different European countries, who the EU’s COSME Programme for Competiti- will participate in the search for project partners. veness of Companies and SMEs WORTH is a huge opportunity for the community or sector they represent.

51 _european proyects

SmartLife – SmartLife – Smart clothing gamification to promote more active behaviour among adolescents

the feedback provided by teenagers. Once all the data had Start date: January 2017 been compiled, work began on the design stage. At the moment work is progressing on the design of the game for mobile End date: December 2018 devices, sensor design and the app which will control the sen- Coordinator: KnowledgeBiz Consulting sors. Another important aspect is to define the game’s narrative, which is an absolutely vital component if the game is to Partners: AITEX, Ghent University, Nurogames GmbH have success with the young users it is designed to appeal to. www.smartlifeproject.eu The SmartLife project represents a technological innovation by integrating exergames and smart textiles to extract the maximum potential from the exergaming market and achieve the successful outcome of its more serious objective of promoting young people’s health.

The unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles and habits of today’s young people need urgent intervention if we are to convince them of the need to change their habits and behaviour by taking up some sort of physical activity.

The goal of the project is to promote healthy lifestyles and behaviour among the young through an exergame (a game involving physical exercise). The exergame is connected to a smart garment equipped with wearable sensors which track movement variables such as lower body movement and send the data to the user’s Smartphone and the game will adapt to the wearer’s physical condition to promote healthy lifestyle and prevent sedentary behaviour among the young to reduce the The project’s second meeting was held in May in Lisbon. All risk of cardiovascular disease. partners attended and work commenced on analysing some of the initial results obtained on the preferences and feedback The project is led by the Portugese company KnowledgeBiz from the young users. This September the third meeting was Consulting, who work with Big Data Analysis. The consortium held in Cologn Germany. This meeting was a key moment also includes the University of Ghent in Belgium, which has when the project’s advances up to the present were studied ample experience in the study of sports, biomechanics and and the final game details were defined. health and the German software and video game producer Nurogames. AITEX participates in the project as leader of the development of the smart garment which will be equipped with wearable sensors including accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetographs and heart beat and breathing sensors.

The SmartLife exergame will be a mobile-supported game which requires the player to move the lower body while connected to the smart fabric which will provide real time feedback The project is co-financed by Horizon to ensure the movements are performed to the right degree of 2020 of the European Commission un- intensity and adapted to the needs of the users. The data is der Grant Agreement Nr. 732348. processed using BDA and will be made more attractive by the The information and views represented use of a contextual narrative. The project includes an extensi- in this website only reflect the views of ve battery of functional tests and widespread dissemination of the authors and not the views of the results. European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held res- During the first five months of the project work has been un- ponsible for the use which may be made of the information con- dertaken on defining the functional requirements of the game, tained therein. smart clothing, electronics, graphic environment and analysing

52 aitex september 2017_

LEARNINGTEX – Open source learning for the development of MOOC in advanced technologies for textile QA

companies, and provide their products with an added-value Start date: October 2016 End date: September 2018 factor. Coordinator: AITEX The MOOC is structured into 4 themed units: Unit 1: an intro- Partners: Antecuir S.L., BEST Institut fur Berufsbe- duction to woven fabrics, Unit 2: the main defects in woven fa- zogene Weiterbildung und Personaltraining, Citeve brics, Unit 3: advanced QA systems – AV and finally unit 4: the - Centro tecnológico das Indústrias Têxtil e do Ves- use of AV in the detection of defects in woven fabrics. The units tuário de Portugal and the UPV – Valencia Polytech- are composed of different lessons which teach the student the nic University, Alcoy Campus skills they need for modern textile technology. More than 70 www.learningtex.eu OERs were developed for the units in a range of formats: video and teaching articles, audio presentations explaining the content and polymedia content combining video presentations with video of the tutor explaining the lesson.

Work is currently underway on compiling the OERs and recor- ding the videos for the different themed units. It is hoped that this stage will be completed during 2017 and that in 2018 work can begin on compiling the MOOC, define the course evaluation process and proceed with its validation via trials with real students. The growth in Massive Open Online Content (MOOC) from the world’s leading universities and teaching centres has con- LEARNINGTEX is co-funded by the EU through its Erasmus verted the medium into a fascinating tool to be exploited and + Programme which is unique in that it seeks to promote a considered for the near future. The digital era has come to edu- view of personal and work-related development, in addition to cation, bringing with it MOOC solutions where students from helping our educational systems, training and young people by all over the world can enrol for free over the internet and learn offering teaching content and approaches which provide the new skills in science, mathematics, aeronautics, IT, cooking, student with the necessary skills to enter the workforce and art, history, the list goes on. future society.

The growing fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0 has accelerated the use of new technologies in the textile sector, improving manufacturing and QA using artificial vision and this has led to the need for fully-trained employees in the workforce if these tools and know-how are to be used effectively in manufacturing systems.

As a result of this need, and taking advantage of the trend in online education and training, AITEX is coordinating “LEAR- NINGTEX- Open Educational Resources for development of an innovative MOOC on advanced textile quality control”, which is co-funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme. The goal of LEARNINGTEX is to develop a MOOC, to teach the basics of woven fabrics, their principal defects and advanced QA systems such as AV to detect them. The MOOC focuses on employees with obsolete knowledge and skills and recent gradua- LEARNINGTEX (2016-1-ES01-KA202-025640) is financed by tes who wish to broaden their knowledge of textile defects and the EC. This article is the sole responsibility of its author. The new ways of detecting them. Commission is in no way responsible for the use to which the information contained herein may be put. The project counts on the participation of textile manufacturers, research centres and educational establishments in Portugal, Austria and Spain and during the first year work has been ad- vancing on defining the course and creating OER (Open Edu- cational Resources). The idea behind the project is to develop free-access content to enable textile operatives to train in the use of AV to improve the manufacturing processes in their

53 _proyectos europeos _european proyects

PROSAFE – Next-generation personal protection equipment against warfare agents Además, se han desarrollado membranas con un alto índice de impermeabilidad al agua pero que a la vez son transpirables para mejorar la gestión de la humedad y aumentar el confort del traje CBRN. Start date: May 2015 End date: November 2017 Coordinator: AITEX Partners: VPU – Valencia Polytechnic University; J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry of The As Cr,V. V. I.; Citeve - Technological Centre for the Textile and Clothing Industries of Portugal, Brapa Consultancy Start date: May 2015 End date: Novem- ber 2017 Coordinator: AITEX

Existing semipermeable CBRN suits have a layer of activated carbon (AC) sandwiched between two layers of fabric. When exposed to a contaminated atmosphere, the hazardous gases ! or particles are trapped by the AC layer. The resulting scrubbed FigureCon esta 2: howestrategia the project de trabajo is divided se plantea into work cubrir lines de una manera realista y air then flows freely through the suit to ensure adequate ven- asequible todo el requisito de la llamada alto rendimiento protector con baja tilation and to prevent the wearer from overheating. When the carga, control del grado de saturación y reutilización. AC layer is saturated, it loses all of its filtration capabilities and InMEJORAS order PARAto achieve EL SECTOR the MILITAR project objectives, various membrane there are two strategies employed to extend the service life of samples- Posibilidad have debeen cuantificar developed la concentración using dediffering agentes contaminantes. percentages of the suit and the degree of protection it offers: QDs- whichPosibilidad were de thendeterminar used el tonivel study de seguridadthe interaction del combatiente between en them anddiferentes a range situaciones. of contaminants. In addition, a portable mo- • Use a thicker layer of AC nitoring- Prevención system de was la saturación developed del traje to measureCBRN por los the agentes saturation contaminantes levels y •Sandwich the filtration layer between layers of low-permeabi- of the porCBRN tanto suit.alertar al combatiente del peligro existente. lity fabric - Monitorización remota desde la base militar de la exposición del _proyectos europeos combatiente a los agentes contaminantes. Another line of research was undertaken was to develop mem- - “Auto-limpieza” del tejido por fotodegradación de los agentes branescontaminantes with a high y por degree tanto reutilización of water depermeability los trajes CBRN. but which are also breathable to improve moisture control and thus increase the levels of comfort offered by the CBRN suit.

The approach was designed to meet all the high-performance requirements in terms of weight, saturation monitoring and reu- sability expected of a CBRN suit realistically and affordably.

IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE MILITARY SECTOR Además,Figure 1: sea contamination han desarrollado monitoring membranas system for con CBRN un suits alto índice de impermeabilidad al agua pero que a la vez son transpirables para mejorar la gestión de la humedad y aumentar el confort del traje CBRN. • The ability to measure the concentration of contaminating The problem with both of the above strategies is that they re- agents duce the degree of air permeability and this in turn reduces • The ability to determine the level of safety for a combatant in a breathability provided by the suit. It is the contradictory nature range of situations of the two basic functions required of a CBRN suit that make • Preventing the suit becoming saturated with contaminants and alerting the wearer to existing hazards. it extremely difficult to attain the correct balance between a • Remote monitoring of the suit from the military command post highly-protective function and acceptable levels of ventilation. to determine levels and types of contamination the combatant is Added to this is the fact that when the AC layer is saturated, the experiencing. suit is unusable and must be replaced. • A self-cleaning function via the photodegradation of the contaminating agents, allowing the reuse of the CBRN suit. The PROSAFE project is looking at the problem from a completely different perspective and is studying the possibility of using a multi-layer permeable polymer membrane made up of modi- fied AC and nanofibres, additivated with quantum dots (QDs) which have a dual function: The PROSAFE project has been financed by the Euro- 1. Measure! the degree of saturation using a fluorimeter pean Defence Agency 2. Act as photocatalysers to break down the contaminating Con esta estrategia de trabajo se plantea cubrir de una manera realista y asequibleagents todo trapped el requisito within de the la llamadafibres alto rendimiento protector con baja carga, control del grado de saturación y reutilización.

54MEJORAS PARA EL SECTOR MILITAR - Posibilidad de cuantificar la concentración de agentes contaminantes. - Posibilidad de determinar el nivel de seguridad del combatiente en diferentes situaciones. - Prevención de la saturación del traje CBRN por los agentes contaminantes y por tanto alertar al combatiente del peligro existente. - Monitorización remota desde la base militar de la exposición del combatiente a los agentes contaminantes. - “Auto-limpieza” del tejido por fotodegradación de los agentes contaminantes y por tanto reutilización de los trajes CBRN. proyectos con financiación pública_

In accordance with Article 3 of the IVACE call which frames the following actions (DOGV 8020 dated 12/04/2017), the following projects all received collaboration from the private sector in the Comunitat Valenciana. For more information visit: www.aitex.es/proyectos

NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE, FUNCTIONALI- INDUSTRY 4.0 AND ADVANCED MANUFAC- SED MATERIALS TURING

• SENIOR 2017: R+D OF ADVANCED MATERIALS TO IMPRO- • ESPRINT: RESEARCH INTO NEW CFF AND DLP 3D-PRINT VE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ELDERLY. TECHNOLOGY FOR TEXTILES. IMDEEA/207/33 IMDEEA/2017/36

• SMARTCOMP: R+D OF SMART COMPOSITES USING VIA THE • DIGITALIZA-T: INDUSTRY 4.0 TEXTILE SECTOR. USE OF TEXTRONICS AND FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS. IMDEEA/2017/12 IMDEEA/2017/7 • E-MANIQUI: DIGITAL TOOLS AND ENVIRONMENTS FOR ADVANCED GARMENT-MAKING PRODUCTION AND FASHION • PYROS 2017: R+D OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE FIRE- 4.0. PROOF AND SUSTAINABLE COMPOSITE MATERIALS. IMDEEA/2017/16 COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS WITH AIMPLAS IM- DEEA/2017/39 TEXTILE SOLUTIONS WITH A HIGH ADDED- • MICROTECH II: R+D OF FUNCTIONAL MICRO AND NANO- VALUE FACTOR FOR STRATEGIC MARKETS CAPSULES FOR USE IN COSMETICS, TEXTILES AND DETER- GENTS. IMDEEA/2017/1 • DTYARNS: RESEARCH INTO THE EFFECT OF FALSE-TWIST TEXTURISATION ON THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PRO- • SCREENTEX II: RESEARCH INTO ELECTRONIC PRINTING PERTIES OF PBT FIBRE (TEXCTUFIL). ON A FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATE. IMDEEA/2017/67 IMDEEA/2017/40 • INSTINTO II: R+D OF A SMART SYSTEM USING SENSORS AND ACTUATORS EMBEDDED IN THE FABRIC TO DETECT, PREVENT AND PROTECT AGAINST A FALL BY AN ELDERLY WEARER. A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH IBV IM- DEEA/2017/38

CIRCULAR ECONOMY • STENT-NET: THE MANUFACTURE AND OPTIMISATION OF A BIODEGRADABLE NANOFIBRE MESH ADDITVATED WITH • GREENCOLOR: A STUDY OF THE USE OF NATURAL DYES DRUGS TO COVER STENTS. IN DYEING AND PRINTING IN THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY. IMDEEA/2017/35 IMDEEA/2017/37

• FUN2GARMENT: R+D OF HIGHLY-SUSTAINABLE FUNCTIO- NAL FINISHES ON TECHNICAL TEXTILES AND GARMENTS. IMDEEA/2017/34

The above AITEX R+D projects are aligned with the conclusions of the European Strategic Agenda for Innovation and Research for the Textile and Garment-making Industry, which is a key document for the industry. The Agenda was coordinated by the European Textile Technology Platform (http://www. textile-platform.eu/) and involved the participation of hundreds of experts in the fields of research, technology and the textile industry itself from across Europe over nearly a year and in whose definition AITEX took an active role.

Projects within the aid programme for technology centres in the Comunitat Valenciana for the development of not-for-profit R+D projects in collaboration with the private sector, funded by Conselleria d'Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball of the Generalitat Valenciana, via IVACE, and co-financed with EU ERDF funds within the ERDF Operative Programme of the Comunitat Valenciana 2014-2020.

55 _news

The presentation of the Jacquard 1.0 Awards for Design and Development

The AITEX - VPU Chair has organised its first major event: the first edition of the Jacquard design and development awards. After the participants had presented their designs and proposals to the jury, the winners were announced. The Vice-rector of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Pepe Millet, together with the Director of AITEX, Vicente Blanes presented the awards.

The 15 participants presented their projects to the jury and ne who loves to set themselves apart. Ne rea collected her members of the public and explained the techniques they 1000-euro prize from José Millet, Vice-rector of Employment used, the trends that were applied and the creative processes involved. The jury consisted of Juan Martínez from Visa- tex; Merce Miquel from Interfabrics; Elena Gandía from Viuda de Rafael Gandía; José Martín, Director of Noticiero Textil and Máximo Solaz, Director of the Home Textile Premium Fair.

The objective of the Jacquard 1.0 Awards for Design and De- velopment is to award prizes to the best home textile fabrics presented by the contestants and the work was judged on its originality, creativity, fashion trend, technical quality and on the presentation itself.

The work was presented on a framework and had to include all of the original artwork for the final fabric and both its coor- dinates. In addition to this, the presentation of the work had to be supported by technical data sheets, including the collection reference, technical data, a description of the article and the Image 2: “Braille textil”, Lorena López. weaves used, in addition to a 3D photograph simulating the use of the collection on a specific article or product. The work and Entrepreneurship at the VPU.

Lorena López was awarded second prize for her work which was different from the others in that it uses braille. According to Lorena, ‘Braille Textil’ was created from the idea of helping teach the visually-impaired and the blind. The relief on the fabric makes touch an important factor and the main design re- ads “Lo esencial es invisible a los ojos” (The most important thing is invisible to the eye). Vicente Blanes, Director of AITEX awarded the 500-euro prize.

Image 1: “Flamingo Palms”, Nerea Sanjuan.

was produced in its final form on the Jacquard loom which AITEX made available to all the participants.

First prize was awarded to Nerea Sanjuan and her ‘Flamingo Palms’. The designer explained that the fabric was a fresh design for the home textile market, with a daring, natural, sweet tropical character designed with the extrovert in mind, someo- Image 3: “Tropic”, María Matarredona

56 aitex september 2017_

Image 4: the competition winner together with the jury and representatives of the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

The third prize was awarded to María Matarredona for her ‘Tropic’ AUTORES TÍTULOS DE LOS design. María explained that the design and colours it uses were PROYECTOS inspired by the tropics and is for the summer 2018 season. The López Gilabert, Lorena Braille textil Deputy Director of Culture, Rosa Vercher awarded the 250-euro prize. Marín Soler, Juan Antonio Luis XV Matarredona Roldán, María Tropic In addition to their awards, the three finalists will travel to the next Meola Escrivá, Sandra Hati Home Textiles Premium Fair at the Caja Mágica in Madrid from the 7th to the 9th of September and all of the projects that were Mompó Pérez-Paya, Ana Rosario Azulmar presented at the Jacquard 1.0 Awards for Design and Develop- Navarro Balsalobre, Rocío Monäv ment will be exhibited on the AITEX stand. Parra Martínez, Jordi Garden Leques Parra Martínez, Jordi Fine Artdeco After being exhibited at Home Textiles Premium, you can see the entries in the Multi-use Hall of the VPU, Alcoy and then on diffe- Pérez Bonifacio, Laura Vintage Chic rent campus’s belonging to the University. Rico Caballero, Juan Carlos Bengal Roldán Iñiguez, Maria Virtudes África The partnership between the University and the Institute is strengthened through these types of awards. Vicente Blanes, Director Sanjuan Blanquer, Nerea Flamingo Palms of AITEX, underlined that the goal of the awards is to “raise stu- Sanz Vila, Mireya Flower dents’ awareness of the textile industry, that you see it as an ex- Scholkemper, Sophia Tribal 20.18- Inspiration Perú citing prospect and one which you fall in love with and hopefully Soler López, Mila Geomtric Portraits come and work with us”.

José Millet, Vice-rector of employment and entrepreneurship at VPU ended the awards with a speech during which he re-iterated vities of a more general nature. The ultimate goal is to promote that “these awards are designed to bring out the initiative and activities which contribute to the position and visibility of the tex- creativity of the participants. Their passion for the product makes tile industry, both for graduates and society as a whole and to them more tolerant of frustration and sharpens their sales skills”. make it an attractive, multi-faceted proposition for employment These are the skills, according to Millet, that companies will ex- and one with a bright future. pect of them.

The AITEX Chair is a consequence of the partnership between the two institutions and their desire to become involved in acti-

57 _news

Jornada “Towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution”

The seminar “TOWARDS THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION” was held the last 7th of June at AITEX’s head office. The Director General of IVACE, Julia Company, opened the day together with Raúl Royo, President of PLATECMA and Director of Royo Group.

The day was dedicated to the opportunities that Industry 4.0 represents to a range of manufacturing sectors including footwear, ceramics, toys, furniture and textiles. The event included a round table involving representatives from RESUINSA, ECUS and AITEX, and moderated by Economía 3. The event was attended by, among others IVACE, the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competiti- veness and the CDTI, who all explained, from their own perspective, the range of support instruments and incen- tives available for implanting new technologies in companies. The industrial world is on the brink of a new revolution known as Industry 4.0 in which the digital and physical worlds are fusing to transform traditional industrial processes and improve output and productivity and turn manufacturing companies into smart, highly-competitive work places. This is the context within which the results of a study conducted by AITEX into the current situation of the textile industry in the Comunidad Valenciana with respect to In- Image 1: the seminar was organised by PLATECMA – (the Techno- dustry 4.0 were presented and the possibilities offered by logy Platform for Manufacturing Sectors) in partnership with the Mi- technologies to improve productive output were discus- nistry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, the CDTI, IVACE, REDIT and Economía 3. sed. Once the Institute knew where it is starting from, its job was to identify, assess, support and set up a series of initiatives to promote the digitalisation of companies, specifically in this case, companies which form part of Promoting digital abilitators for the textile industry the textile manufacturing and value chain. • Professional visits to diagnose the current situa- The study included surveys of companies active in every tion in textile companies and their needs with respect to sub sector of the textile industry and of all sizes, and rea- Industry 4.0 ched the following conclusions: • Building up a directory of specialist Technology 1. There is a general lack of knowledge of the oppor- 4.0 suppliers for the textile industry tunities and technologies involved • Collaboration on the development of specific so- 2. There is a lack of sector-specific solutions lutions for the textile industry and promoting partnerships 3. The most important barriers to digital transforma- with technology providers tion are: investment cost, the pervading business culture Driving Industry 4.0 projects in the textile industry and resistance to change. • Drawing up a general route map, as well as case- AITEX’s plan of action to resolve these initial difficulties specific route maps for the digital transformation of the includes: textile industry • Setting up specific projects with technology 4.0 Dissemination and Training for each sub sector • Personal visits to companies to raise awareness • Consultancy on existing support and aid which and open a dialogue may be applicable to the implementation of Industry 4.0 • On-going publication and dissemination of re- technology in the textile industry commendations (information, success stories, etc.) • Organisation of training activities

For more information on the executive report and an analysis of the results of the survey into Industry 4.0 in the textile industry in the Comunidad Valenciana, download the document at www.aitex.es

58 ¿Tienes pensado adquirir / renovar bienes de equipo en tu empresa? Antes de emprender ¿Vas a ampliar tu planta cualquier proyecto, empresarial? ¡CONSÚLTANOS! ¿Estás incorporando novedades a tu proceso productivo o cartera de productos? ¿Eres empresa textil y desarrollas de forma anual colecciones completas para tus clientes?

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